Franken concerned about ‘Pokemon Go’ data mining

“I believe Americans have a fundamental right to privacy, and that right includes an individual’s access to information, as well as the ability to make meaningful choices about what data are being collected about them and how the data are being used,” Franken wrote.

“As the augmented reality market evolves, I ask that you provide greater clarity on how Niantic is addressing issues of user privacy and security, particularly that of its younger players.”

“Pokemon Go” is a smartphone app that allows users to “capture” virtual Pokemon that are digitally overlaid into real-world environments. The app was released last week and, according to Franken’s letter, has been downloaded in the U.S. close to 7.5 million times.

Reports surfaced last week that “Pokemon Go” was allowing Google complete access to data of users who logged into the app with their Google accounts. An iOS update released Tuesday by Niantic was designed to enhance server stability — the high volume of users has led to crashes — and decrease Google’s access to users’ information.

Franken’s letter grilled Niantic on why the company is collecting user information, who receives that data and if the company would consider making its registration requirements more lenient, among other questions.

“We recognize and commend Niantic for quickly responding to these specific concerns, and ask for continued assurance that a fix will be implemented swiftly,” Franken wrote. “When done appropriately, the collection and use of personal information may enhance consumers’ augmented reality experience, but we must ensure that Americans’ — especially children’s — very sensitive information is protected.”

In addition to privacy concerns, many institutions have issued warnings about the game, begging people not to go to them specifically to catch Pokemon.

Arlington National Cemetery tweeted that it was inappropriate to go there trolling for gastlys in a graveyard.

The Holocaust Museum, which is apparently a Pokestop (a hub for Pokemon items), is trying to get itself excluded from the game due to the inappropriate nature of playing the game inside the museum. And one of the Pokemon reportedly found around the museum was a Koffing, which is known for emitting poisonous gas.

The National Park Service asked “Pokemon Go” players to be respectful of memorials and the National Mall in general in their quest to catch them all. However, park rangers said they will help players in their hunt.

Some organizations have embraced the chaos, such as the U.S. Capitol Building’s Twitter account, which tweeted out a photo of a Butterfree in the National Garden.

In the strangest intersection of Pokemon and politics, a “Pokemon Go” user found that one of the game’s designated gyms happened to be right in front of the Westboro Baptist Church. He claimed that gym as his own and is guarding it with a high-level Clefairy named “LoveIsLove,” a reference to Westboro’s well-known hatred of gay marriage.

The WBC responded by releasing a vine of a Jigglypuff singing about sin to “deal with the sodomite loveislove Clefairy.”