In brief
Grindr, the world's largest LGBTQ+ dating app, has agreed to pay £26 m to settle a class‑action lawsuit that accused it of sharing users’ HIV status and other personal data with third‑party data analytics firms. The settlement will be paid in two £13 m instalments, with no admission of liability. The claims were raised in UK courts in 2024 and later served in the United States, involving more than 11,000 claimants. Grindr said the allegations pertain to its pre‑2020 data practices while it was owned by Kunlun, and the company has since overhauled its privacy policies.
Grindr has agreed to pay £26 m to settle a lawsuit over allegations it shared users’ HIV status with third parties.
In 2024, the app was sued in the UK High Court for misusing personal information, a claim that later became a class action in the US involving over 11,000 claimants.
The settlement will be paid in two £13 m instalments: one by 31 Dec and the other by 31 Mar 2027. Grindr stated it does not admit liability but acknowledges the distress felt by users about its pre‑2020 data practices.
The lawsuit alleged that sensitive data, including HIV status, ethnicity and sexual orientation, was shared with data analytics firms Apptimize and Localytics for commercial purposes. Grindr defended this sharing as industry‑standard at the time but claims it ceased the practice after 2020.
Grindr has faced regulatory penalties, including a £5.5 m fine from Norway’s data watchdog and a reprimand from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, following revelations of data sharing in 2018.
Grindr’s response
“While Grindr disputes the allegations, it recognizes and acknowledges the distress and loss of trust expressed by some of our UK users regarding that pre‑2020 period,” the company said in its SEC filing.
It added that since 2020 it has overhauled its privacy practices to meet the unique needs of its community and reaffirmed its commitment to a safe space for users, transparency, control and responsible data handling.
Source: SEC filing
