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What’s Illegal in Pokémon GO: A Trainer’s Guide to Staying on the Right Side of the Rules

What’s “illegal” in Pokémon GO boils down to actions that violate the Pokémon GO Terms of Service and Trainer Guidelines. These actions generally give players an unfair advantage, disrupting the intended gameplay experience for everyone. The most prominent illegal activities involve falsifying location (GPS spoofing), accessing the game’s clients or backends in an unauthorized manner (especially through third-party software or add-ons), and exploiting game mechanics. These actions can result in temporary or permanent account bans.

Understanding Niantic’s Stance on Cheating

Niantic, the developer of Pokémon GO, takes a firm stance against cheating. Their goal is to ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for all players. To this end, they have implemented a three-strike policy against cheating, offering players opportunities to correct their behavior before facing permanent consequences.

The Three-Strike Policy

This policy works as follows:

Strike 1: Warning. The player receives an in-app warning message indicating that cheating has been detected on their account.
Strike 2: Temporary Suspension. The player’s account is suspended, typically for around seven days. During this time, they cannot access the game.
Strike 3: Permanent Ban. The player’s account is permanently banned from Pokémon GO.

This policy is intended to be progressive, giving players a chance to learn from their mistakes. However, severe offenses can lead to an immediate permanent ban.

Key Illegal Activities in Pokémon GO

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of activities that can get you banned from Pokémon GO:

GPS Spoofing: Using software or hardware to alter your device’s GPS location. This allows you to access Pokémon, gyms, and raids without physically being there. This directly violates the game’s core design of exploring the real world. Niantic uses several methods to detect spoofing, including comparing distances between reported positions to identify impossible jumps and analyzing altitude data.
Using Emulators: Playing Pokémon GO on emulators on PCs. The game is designed for mobile devices and real-world interaction, making emulators a violation.
Modified or Unofficial Software: Using modified game clients or third-party apps that access Pokémon GO’s servers without authorization. This includes apps that automate gameplay (bots), provide unfair advantages (e.g., IV checkers displaying exact Pokémon stats in-game), or circumvent in-game limitations.
Unauthorized Access to Game Backends: Directly accessing Pokémon GO’s servers or data without authorization. This is a serious violation and can result in immediate banning.
Exploiting Game Mechanics: Taking unfair advantage of bugs or glitches in the game for personal gain. For example, exploiting the Routes feature to rapidly farm XL Candies using third-party apps and auto-clickers.
Account Sharing: Although Niantic’s official stance is ambiguous, sharing accounts is generally discouraged and can raise suspicion of other illicit activities. Large distance logins from separate IP addresses may raise flags with the anti-cheat system.

Protecting Yourself and Your Account

The best way to avoid getting banned from Pokémon GO is to play fairly and honestly. Avoid using any third-party apps or software that could be considered cheating. Always download the game from official app stores (Google Play Store or Apple App Store). If you are unsure about whether a particular app is safe to use, it is best to err on the side of caution and avoid it.

Niantic continuously updates its anti-cheat measures, so even if a particular method of cheating seems to work now, it may not work in the future. And, more importantly, it could lead to a ban. Remember, the goal of Pokémon GO is to explore the world around you and interact with other players in a fair and engaging way. Cheating undermines this goal and spoils the experience for everyone.

Engaging in activities that can be considered as learning through playing games can enhance your experience and understanding of the games you play. Explore the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ to discover more about the educational aspects of gaming.

Pokémon GO: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Bans

Here are some frequently asked questions related to bans in Pokémon GO, along with detailed answers:

1. Can you get banned for using IV checkers?

Using third-party IV checkers that directly access Pokémon GO’s data can lead to a ban, as this violates the terms of service by accessing the game’s backends in an unauthorized manner. However, IV checkers that require you to manually input information are generally considered safer, as they don’t directly interact with the game’s code.

2. What triggers a soft ban in Pokémon GO?

A soft ban is a temporary restriction placed on your account. Common triggers include:

GPS Spoofing: Jumping to a new location that is a significant distance away from your previous location in a short period.
Traveling Too Fast: Exceeding realistic travel speeds, such as by simulating gameplay while in a car or train.
Sharing Accounts: Logging into the same account from multiple locations within a short timeframe.

During a soft ban, Pokémon will flee when you try to catch them, you won’t be able to spin PokéStops, and you won’t be able to participate in gym battles.

3. Can Niantic ban your phone itself?

Yes, Niantic has the capability to device ban, meaning they can ban the specific device you are using from accessing Pokémon GO. This is more likely to occur if you are using a jailbroken/rooted phone with known cheating software installed.

4. How does Niantic detect spoofers?

Niantic uses various methods to detect spoofers:

Impossible Jumps: Analyzing the distance between your reported locations to identify unrealistic jumps.
Altitude Data: Checking if the altitude of your reported location is consistent with the actual terrain.
App Detection: Identifying blacklisted apps installed on your device.
User Reports: Investigating reports from other players.

5. Is using multiple accounts against the rules?

While Niantic’s official stance is ambiguous, multi-accounting is generally frowned upon. There is no mechanism for them to detect it.

6. Can you get banned for sniping Pokémon?

Pokémon sniping, which involves using GPS spoofing to teleport to a location where a rare Pokémon is spawning, can lead to a ban if detected.

7. Does Pokémon GO spy on you?

While there’s no concrete evidence that Pokémon GO is actively spying on players for malicious purposes, it does collect a significant amount of data, including your location data. This data is used for gameplay purposes and may be used for other purposes as outlined in Niantic’s privacy policy.

8. What is the safest Pokémon GO spoofer?

There is no truly “safe” spoofer. All spoofing apps carry a risk of getting banned. Some spoofing apps have additional features, such as auto hatching eggs, but the safest option is to not spoof at all. If you choose to spoof, it’s highly recommended to use a separate account from your main account.

9. Can you tell if a Pokémon is hacked in Pokémon GO?

It’s generally difficult to definitively tell if a Pokémon is hacked in Pokémon GO. However, some indicators, such as improbable combinations of IVs, movesets, or unusually high levels for newly caught Pokémon, might suggest that it’s been altered.

10. What are the consequences of getting a 7-day suspension?

A 7-day suspension is the second strike in Niantic’s three-strike policy. During this time, you will be unable to access your Pokémon GO account. After the suspension, your gameplay experience will be restored, but if you continue to violate the terms of service, you risk receiving a permanent ban.

11. What happens if you receive a warning in Pokémon GO?

Receiving a warning is the first strike in Niantic’s three-strike policy. It indicates that Niantic has detected cheating on your account.

12. What are the reasons to get a ban in Pokémon GO?

The main reasons to get banned in Pokémon GO include GPS spoofing, using unauthorized third-party apps or software, exploiting game mechanics, and accessing the game’s backends without authorization.

13. How long does a ban last in Pokémon GO?

The length of a ban depends on the severity of the offense and whether it’s your first, second, or third strike. A first strike results in a warning, a second strike leads to a 7-day suspension, and a third strike results in a permanent ban.

14. Can you appeal a ban in Pokémon GO?

Yes, you can appeal a ban by contacting Niantic’s support team. However, whether your appeal will be successful depends on the circumstances of your ban and the evidence you can provide to support your case.

15. How do you avoid getting banned in Pokémon GO?

The best way to avoid getting banned is to play the game fairly and honestly. Don’t use any third-party apps or software that could be considered cheating, avoid GPS spoofing, and adhere to the Pokémon GO Terms of Service and Trainer Guidelines.

What is illegal in Pokemon go?