Grindr has agreed to pay £26 million (approximately $33 million) to settle a class-action lawsuit in the United Kingdom concerning the alleged sharing of users' HIV status with third-party data analytics services. The lawsuit, which has been ongoing, accused the dating app of breaching UK privacy laws by sharing sensitive personal information with external companies.
Two data analytics services, Apptimize and Localytics, were identified as third parties that had access to the sensitive data. The claim asserted that an potentially unlimited number of third parties used this data to customize advertisements for Grindr users. This practice came to light following revelations in 2018 that Grindr had been sharing personal data, including users' HIV status, with these two providers.
At the time, Grindr defended the practice, stating it was in line with industry standards. However, the company later ceased sharing HIV data with those specific companies. This incident is not the first time Grindr has faced scrutiny over its data practices. In 2022, the company was fined £5.5 million by Norway's data protection watchdog and later reprimanded by the UK Information Commissioner's Office for its data handling.
Grindr stated in a filing on Friday that it has “overhauled” its privacy practices since 2020 to better meet the “unique needs of its community.” The company maintains its commitment to transparency, user control, and responsible data practices, asserting that it remains a safe space for its users.