this post was submitted on 17 Mar 2026
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technology

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[–] Thordros@hexbear.net 28 points 3 days ago

I did think it was a little strange when I played Pokemon Go last time I was at the hospital. One of my research tasks kept asking me to take a photo of the Pokestop at the Hamas base?

[–] Evilsandwichman@hexbear.net 20 points 3 days ago

Asleep: war crimes

Woke: girlboss war crimes

Bespoke: child crowdsourced war crimes

[–] Carl@hexbear.net 18 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

Over the weekend, viral social media posts have amplified reporting that Niantic, the developer of PokemonGo, is using its acquired database of over 30 Billion crowdsourced images of the world to power "visual navigation for delivery robots." Thousands of users are rightfully outraged of unwittingly having to help train what appear to be AI models, as big tech proponents attempt to downplay the implications.

But the reports omit that Niantic has sold its gaming division in 2025 and rebranded the remaining company as Niantic Spatial: a firm developing a large geospatial model allowing for centimeter-accurate navigation that is selling its services to major US Defense contractors.

Pokemon Go is from 2016, so Niantic must have been holding onto all of this data, looking for ways to turn it into cash, until they landed on selling it to the DoD. It is extremely bleak that something objectively cool and social like pokemon go can get turned into fuel for the war machine like this.

[–] Thordros@hexbear.net 10 points 3 days ago

They specifically added a feature to their games in 2020 that requires users to take photos and 360 videos of areas of interest for "research tasks".

Now we know who the research was for.

[–] chgxvjh@hexbear.net 8 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I'm sure they have tried to sell it to the DoD for a while. Kind of the default move.

[–] chgxvjh@hexbear.net 14 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] Self_Sealing_Stem_Bolt@hexbear.net 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Need EMP guns immediately. Wouldnt that be cool? A directed emp pulse like a shotgun

[–] chgxvjh@hexbear.net 2 points 2 days ago

EMP gun doesn't work because the Tesla murder bot is just a guy in a costume

[–] take_five_moments@hexbear.net 12 points 3 days ago

in bad country, you think you're playing a game catching small cute monsters but you're actually helping the genocide machine eat babies yeonmi-park

[–] Ram_The_Manparts@hexbear.net 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Ohhh, so that's what Hilldawg was on about

Interesting

[–] SmithrunHills@hexbear.net 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] Ram_The_Manparts@hexbear.net 4 points 3 days ago

The Hilldawg sees all

[–] DasRav@hexbear.net 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

For the few days I played this, Pokemon go would only have pokemon in the nearby cemeteries and nowhere else. I felt quite morbid, going there to find charmander behind some old ladie's gravestone.

[–] take_five_moments@hexbear.net 6 points 3 days ago

now they all spawn in walmart parking lots

[–] D61@hexbear.net 12 points 3 days ago

If "Ender's Game" was written in the 2000's instead of 1985.

[–] JustSo@hexbear.net 12 points 3 days ago

I don't have a source handy but I believe some dude wandered onto a military base in france to catch some pokemen. I remember some podcast talking about it and the history of the company. Extremely CIA shit IIRC.

[–] SacredExcrement@hexbear.net 6 points 3 days ago

Under capitalism, you will live to see everything be commodified and used for horrors beyond your comprehension

[–] Meltyheartlove@hexbear.net 7 points 3 days ago
[–] mrfugu@hexbear.net 4 points 3 days ago

the man(angers) who sold the world(‘s map and location data to MBS)