Grindr’s Got Your Data!

We all know that familiar chirping sound, that wonderful notification that someone on Grindr has messaged us. Yes, we have all been on the app. To hookup, to network…to hookup, lol. There are actually a number of relationships that first met on Grindr. Whatever you use the app for, just know that Cybernews has ranked Grindr as the top data-hungry dating app.

Of course, whatever apps we use are collecting our data, and there are ways to limit the kind of data that is collected and shared, but we all tick that “agree” button without reading so do we really know what info of ours is out there? Being a dating/hookup app is already sharing an intimate part of our lives, but Grindr sets the record by collecting 23 points of data about its users for various reasons, including analytics, functionality, and advertising. Also, they may collect health status within the app. They can also track our search history data when we filter other users. That kink you have is not so secret anymore. Grindr also has the option to provide data to other companies. That’s a scary thought.

Image by Cybernews

Grindr first launched as an iOS mobile app 15 years ago. Can you believe it’s been around for 15 years? The app has not only become the top dating app in the LGBTQ community but has also become known in mainstream pop culture. Even our moms know what Grindr is. Vanity Fair called Grindr the "World's Biggest, Scariest Gay Bar." When it first launched, the premium version without ads or expanded grids was only $2.99. In its first year, the number of users grew to 500,000, releasing as an Android app in 2011. By 2012, Grindr announced that it had officially hit 4 million registered users in 192 countries across the globe. Today, the app has approximately 13.5 million monthly active users.

Data usage started to be talked about when the app started requiring email addresses to sign up. This negated the anonymous nature of being on the app in the first place. Data sharing by Grindr has been called out many times. They have responded by stating, "Grindr has never sold, nor will we ever sell, personally identifiable user information – especially information regarding HIV status or last test date – to third parties or advertisers. As an industry-standard practice, Grindr does work with highly-regarded [software] vendors to test and optimize our platform. These vendors are under strict contractual terms that provide for the highest level of confidentiality, data security, and user privacy."

In 2020, a report was published by the Norwegian Consumer Council that alleged Grindr had violated the European Union's General Data Privacy Regulation rules and asserted that Grindr had sent user data to at least 135 advertisers. After an investigation, it was proven that Grindr was in violation, making the company pay €10 million.

Other dating apps that collect a fair amount of data include Match, Hinge, Bumble, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and Tinder.

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