If you have not read the Pokémon GO Terms of Service (and, since you have to go onto developer Niantic’s website to access them, you probably haven’t), you might not know about an interesting piece of information they contain.
Niantic is requiring Pokémon GO players to settle disputes via individual arbitration sessions, rather than by a jury trial. They also cannot participate in class action lawsuits against the company.
The implications of this would not be player-friendly in the instance of a large-scale error or breach. Niantic would not have to resolve the problem with multiple users at once (as explained by Consumerist, who reported on the story). Rather, they would settle the issue with individual players who put forth the effort to have an arbitration hearing.
Luckily for gamers who have already downloaded and played the game, there is an opt-out method. Within 30 days, they must email [email protected] and declare that they are opting out of the arbitration clause. “Arbitration Opt-out Notice” should be the email subject.
GameSkinny has provided plenty of Pokémon GO coverage since the app’s launch. A big story yesterday was a New Zealand man’s quest to become the very best, at the expense of his job.
