'Grindr users value privacy, and we have put our users' privacy first even when it meant lower revenue. In a statement, Grindr spokesperson Patrick Lenihan told It is unclear if the execs knew the data would be accessible to other parties.
Similarly, one could make inferences about a user's romantic partners based on the proximity of their device to that of another user's device.Īpp executives reportedly believed sharing real-time location data with advertising networks was not a privacy concern, but instead would allow users to receive targeted ads about nearby restaurants, bars or hotels - something that could be arguably beneficial to singles looking for new date ideas.Īdvertising industry officials said the purchased location data would be used for target ads and to reshape marketing budgets, Grindr executives allege. People familiar with the data told the Wall Street Journal that a user's address and workplace could be identified by analysis of their patterns, habits and routines. Mobile advertising company clients have been able to purchase phone movement data of Grindr users in bulk for many years. Grindr is catching heat after precise location data for millions of users was collected from a digital advertising network and sold to outside parties 'We do not share user profile information, and we do not share even industry standard data like age or gender,' he said. In a statement to, Grindr spokesperson Patrick Lenihan denied that the app shared users' 'precise location', and has shared less information with ad partners since 2020. While the app has updated its privacy settings to prevent this data from becoming accessible, many allege users' historical data may still be obtainable. government detailing the intelligence risks of commercially available information, The Wall Street Journal reported.Īlthough the information did not disclose names or phone numbers, experts allege some of the data was detailed enough that one could make inferences about a person's identity and romantic partners.Īnalysts claim location data of Grindr users had been sold to advertisers since at least 2017.
Grindr - which touts itself as the world's largest social networking app for gay, bi, transgender and queer individuals - is one of several platforms prompting concern among national security officials.ĭata collected from the app, which has millions of users, was used as part of a demonstration by the U.S.
Experts have expressed concern about the sharing of such data, with some calling it risky in extreme circumstances.A popular gay dating app is catching heat after precise location data for millions of users was collected from a digital advertising network and sold to outside parties. These businesses use the data for advertising and marketing purposes.Įven today many are not open about their sexual orientation and in some places being gay still carries risk, so this breach of privacy can be very dangerous. In 2020, a Norwegian consumer group also reported that apps like Grindr and OkCupid share personal information like user location and sexuality with approximately 100 businesses. A user's location data can also provide clues to their identity, such as their work and home addresses.Īlso read | Gay dating app Grindr disappears from China's app stores The location data, however, allows users to infer things like specific users and romantic encounters based on their proximity to a particular location. The data is believed to not contain personal information like names and phone numbers. Watch | Gravitas: Online dating scams surge during the pandemicĬiting people familiar with the matter, the journal said that “The precise movements of millions of users of the gay-dating app Grindr were collected from a digital advertising network and made available for sale." This is despite the fact that the corporation claims to have stopped sending location data to ad networks. The data has been available for roughly five years, since 2017, and the article indicates that past data may still be available.