Read the small print before you play Pokémon Go
Posted July 24, 2016 2:02 pm.
Last Updated July 24, 2016 2:06 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Pokémon Go is the latest sensation in smartphone apps, but the augmented reality game also includes some real-world dangers.
NEWS 1130 Legal Analyst Michael Shapray warns to play at your own risk.
He says the game, which sees users hunt virtual characters that pop up on their smartphone screens, can open you up to all sorts of legal pitfalls, including trespassing.
“The rule of law and rules about private property and trespassing and assaulting people they all still apply,” he points out. “People can’t forget that this is just a game and it doesn’t give them a right to go places they wouldn’t have any right to go otherwise.”
Shapray adds users waive many of their rights once they agree to Nintendo’s terms of service. “They say that everybody’s responsible for their own actions and that they will not be held responsible for any injuries. Essentially, you’re waving your rights to any lawsuit against them.”
Shapray also says users also surrender a fair bit of their privacy as well, as “Pokémon Go” collects and stores information about your location and what other apps are running while you are playing the game.
