‘Pokémon Go’ players unknowingly trained delivery robots with 30 billion images.

The article closes with:
"""
So, next time you see someone in a park trying to “catch ‘em all,” it’s quite possible the data gleaned from that scavenger hunt could play a key role in determining whether the pizzas of the future make it to their destinations on time.
"""

Haha, cute. Training pizza delivery robots with crowdsourced data (that players didn't know they were providing)—isn't that quirky.

Until it isn't...

What happens when they start selling that data to governments to help target drone strikes?

"""
That mapping effort got a significant boost in 2020, when the app added what it called “Field Research,” a feature prompting players to scan real-world statues and landmarks with their cameras in exchange for in-game rewards.
"""

Corporations, dubious ethics, and money always end up in bed together, hate-fucking the 99%.

@cyberlyra https://hachyderm.io/@cyberlyra/116239245187011717

Cyberlyra (@[email protected])

Ten years ago, Cambridge Analytica used data from Facebook games to tweak UK and US voters and torque world geopolitics. Today we find out that the company behind Pokémon Go used all your data finding Pikachus to teach autonomous robots how to navigate and take away your jobs. https://www.popsci.com/technology/pokemon-go-delivery-robots-crowdsourcing/

Hachyderm.io

@alice

Wouldn't be the first time Niantic have pulled something along those lines.

A large amount of the data in Pokemon Go, locations, photos etc came from Niantic's previous game, Ingress. See second para under 'Development and Release' in the wiki article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingress_(video_game)#Development_and_release

Of course training delivery bots with crowdsourced data is a few steps up in corporate evildoing.

@cyberlyra

Ingress (video game) - Wikipedia

@rainynight65 @alice @cyberlyra

Vive le Ressistance!