A class action lawsuit has been filed against Grindr, a popular dating app for the LGBTQ+ community, by a group of UK users who claim that their private information, including HIV status, was shared with third-party advertisers without their consent. The lawsuit, filed in the High Court of Justice in London, alleges that Grindr breached UK data protection laws by sharing user data with companies such as Localytics and Apptimize between 2018 and 2020.
The lawsuit claims that this data sharing allowed potentially unlimited third parties to target and customize advertisements to Grindr users, potentially leading to further sharing of user data with fourth parties. In addition to HIV status, the lawsuit alleges that Grindr may have also shared users’ ethnicity and sexual orientation information, potentially impacting thousands of UK users. Over 670 people have already signed onto the lawsuit, with many more expected to join.
In addition to HIV status, the lawsuit alleges that Grindr may have also shared users’ ethnicity and sexual orientation information, potentially impacting thousands of UK users.
According to Chaya Hanoomanjee, managing director of Austen Hays, the law firm representing the plaintiffs, “Grindr owes it to the LGBTQ+ community it serves to compensate those whose data has been compromised and have suffered distress as a result, and to ensure all its users are safe while using the app, wherever they are, without fear that their data might be shared with third parties.”
Grindr has denied the allegations, stating that it has “never shared user-reported health information for ‘commercial purposes’ and has never monetized such information.” The company’s chief privacy officer, Kelly Peterson Miranda, has stated that Grindr intends to “respond vigorously” to the claim, which appears to be based on a mischaracterization of practices from more than four years ago.
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However, this is not the first time Grindr has faced scrutiny for privacy issues. In 2021, a Norwegian study found that the app was sharing user information with advertising and marketing companies, including users’ precise locations. Grindr was subsequently fined $7 million in Norway for illegally disclosing user data. Last year, an ex-Grindr executive alleged that he was fired in retaliation for raising concerns about the company’s “alarming” data privacy practices.
The lawsuit highlights the importance of data privacy and the need for companies to prioritize the security and consent of their users. The LGBTQ+ community, in particular, has a right to feel safe and protected when using apps like Grindr, and it is the responsibility of the company to ensure that their data is not shared without their consent. The outcome of this lawsuit will be closely watched, as it has implications for data privacy and the LGBTQ+ community.
