Pokémon Go Scans Trained the Navigation Tech for Military Drones (dronexl.co)

Article summary

Pokémon Go players have unknowingly contributed to the development of a navigation system for military drones by scanning their surroundings to earn in-game rewards. The scans, totaling around 30 billion, were used to train a Visual Positioning System (VPS) that can locate a device by matching its camera feed against a 3D model of the world. The technology is being developed by Niantic Spatial, a company that grew out of a CIA-backed mapping firm, and is being partnered with a US defense contractor. The use of player-generated data for military purposes has raised concerns about consent and the ethics of data collection.

Main themes

• Military technology
• Data collection
• Gaming industry
• Surveillance
• Artificial intelligence
• Ethics of data use

What commenters say

• The use of Pokémon Go data for military purposes is a concerning example of how player-generated data can be used without consent.
• The data collection was not inherently malicious, but the lack of transparency about its potential uses is a problem.
• The development of dual-use technologies like VPS raises questions about the responsibility of companies to consider the potential consequences of their innovations.
• The involvement of a CIA-backed company in the development of the technology suggests a more sinister motive behind the data collection.
• The use of data from a game for military purposes is a violation of the trust between players and game developers.
• The issue is not with the technology itself, but with the lack of transparency and consent in its development and use.
• The potential benefits of the technology, such as improved navigation in GPS-denied areas, do not justify the use of player-generated data without consent.
• The incident highlights the need for greater awareness and regulation of data collection and use in the gaming industry.