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5/ The solution? Instead of banning foreign ownership after the fact, we need strong privacy laws that limit how all companies—foreign & domestic—collect & use user data. Privacy shouldn’t depend on who buys your favorite game.

4/ This isn’t just about Pokémon Go—foreign investments in gaming are growing. Tencent (China) owns Riot Games & 40% of Epic Games (Fortnite). Governments worldwide are realizing that gaming data = intelligence goldmine.

3/ With the Saudi government now in control of Pokémon Go, what happens to years of collected location & image data? Will new ownership expand data collection, and could this data be used for mass surveillance?

2/ Niantic’s AR tech doesn’t just track PokéStops—it builds detailed maps of cities, homes, & sensitive locations. Players scanning locations help train its AI-powered Visual Position System (VPS), adding millions of new scans weekly.

1/ On March 12, 2025, Niantic sold its gaming unit—including Pokémon Go—to Scopely, a company owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. This raises serious concerns about data privacy and surveillance.

Plus you get to work with the awesome Dr. Elizabeth Dubois!