Nintendo Switch

What could happen if something goes wrong

Nintendo does a pretty good job with privacy, security, and parental controls. They did have a data breach earlier in 2020 where 300,000 accounts were compromised and attackers gained access to users personal information, including date of birth and email addresses. That's not great. Just be aware that while Nintendo doesn't share your data with third parties, some of the games you play on the Switch made by other companies might be collecting and sharing your data. Also. the recent release of the new mixed reality game Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit has raised some privacy concerns. The game uses a real-life car to play and that car drives around your home, mapping it and taking pictures. Privacy watchdog Access Now has called on Nintendo to clearly state what data the game collects and how it will protect the privacy of gamers who play this game. Here is Nintendo's recent reponse to Access Now's privacy concerns: “Nintendo knows that privacy is very important to its customers and takes its responsibility to protect customer information seriously. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit does not create detailed maps of users’ homes, nor does it collect or process information about a user’s location, home or surroundings. Any other reports that describe the technology as collecting this or similar information are incorrect.”