After facing a torrent of criticism for giving itself access to customers' Google accounts, game developer Niantic has changed the permissions on Pokémon GO for iPhone. Whereas before the company had explicitly given itself the right to delve into users' Gmail and docs without actually notifying users, with a new release it can only see basic account information.
The update is available now on Apple's App Store. A terse note from the developers says they "fixed Google account scope." Users should download, sign out and sign back in to enjoy the latest version of the impossibly popular game.
Whilst the permissions were alarming, security researchers pointed out that it would have been difficult and improbable that Pokémon GO would have actually accessed emails or Google Maps history of players. But it was possible: an "Uber" token allowing access to Google Accounts within the app.
Niantic, the developer working alongside Nintendo and the Pokémon creators, previously said it never accessed users' Google accounts and only wanted superficial information. It nevertheless made the change due to the legal power it may have given itself. Now Android and iOS users can go catch some Pokémon without fear of completely giving up their privacy.
Meanwhile, security staff of a physical kind are having to step up to protect themselves from careless Pokémon GO players. Staff at Arlington Cemetery and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington have warned people about trying to catch Pokémon inside the confines of the commemorative grounds.
