Privacy Explorers – Privacy Policy Overview for Children

Welcome, explorers! This page contains a basic overview of the information we collect about you when you play our games. It also explains what we do with that information, the control you have over it and steps you can take to help keep it safe.

Parents, and those wanting to understand these points in more detail, should take time to read our full Privacy Policy.

Who we are

We are Niantic and we make games which blend the world around you with the virtual world. We also operate websites (such as this one), run live events and promotions and sell things in our online store. We refer to these things as our ‘services’ on this page.

Information we collect about you and how we use it

We collect information that you provide to us. For example, when you register for an account we collect your age, and the username that you create to use in our games. We may also collect things like your name, address and email address if you share those details, for example, when you reach out to us to help fix something in a game.

Because our games are based in the real world, we also collect information about your location. We use this information to operate certain features within our games - for example, so you can collect items at PokéStops in Pokémon GO.

If you use a Niantic Kids account to access our services, the parent or guardian who created this account for you will be able to see some of your information, for example, the friends you make in a game where your parent or guardian has turned this feature on.

We also collect information when you use our services. This includes information about what you are doing in a game, for example, when you win a battle in Pokémon GO. It also includes information about the mobile phone you are using to access our services. We use this information to operate our services and to provide you with support when you need it.

We may use the information you share with us to show you adverts or content that has been sponsored by other companies that we work with (for example, branded clothing for your in-game avatar). If you are under 13 (or under 16 or 14 depending on where you live), we won’t show you any adverts or sponsored content unless your parent or guardian has given us permission to do so.

We use other companies to help us provide our services and to run our business. We may share your information with these companies, but they are only allowed to use your information in accordance with our instructions, and not for any other purpose.

Your information is also visible to other players when you use some features in our games. When you assign a Pokémon to a Gym in Pokémon GO, for example, your username will be visible to other players visiting that Gym.

Sometimes, we may need to share your information with companies who are located in a different country to the one you live in. Where we do this, we do so in a way that protects your information.

There may also be situations when we need to share your information to comply with the law.

How long we keep your information for

We only keep information we collect about you for as long as we need to provide our services to you. After that, we either delete it or change it in such a way that it no longer identifies you.

How you can control the information we collect about you

You can ask us for a copy of the information we have collected about you, and to make changes to it if you think something is wrong. You can also ask us to stop using your information, or to delete it altogether (but remember that sometimes we do need your information to provide our services to you).

You can do all of the above by contacting us using the details listed here.

How we keep your information safe

We take steps to make sure we keep your information safe, for example, by storing it securely and only giving access to people who need it.

How you can help keep your information safe

Keeping your information safe is important to us, which is why we have put a Privacy Policy in place. There are also a few things that you can do to help keep your information safe when using our services:

Avoid using your real name, or any other information which someone could use to identify you, when you choose a username for your account.
Some of our games allow you to add friends so you can enjoy playing the game with other people. Adding someone as a friend will let them see more information about you, so only add people if you are happy for them to see this information. In some cases, your parent or guardian will need to enable this feature for you - where this is the case, we will email them to let them know when you have made a new friend.
If you are ever worried about the information that you have shared, talk to a trusted adult.

If you still have questions about your privacy after you have finished reading this page, talk these through with an adult. You can also contact us using the details listed here.