Grindr, the popular hookup app, has agreed to a substantial settlement in a U.K. lawsuit over allegations that it shared sensitive user data, such as HIV status, with advertisers. The California-based company will pay £26 million (approximately $48.6 million Cdn) to around 12,000 claimants represented by London law firm Austen Hays. The claim asserts that Grindr breached U.K. privacy laws by sharing data with third parties before April 2020, when the app updated its consent policies.
The shared data included details like users’ HIV status, recent testing information, and use of HIV prevention medication known as PrEP. This information, voluntarily provided by users, could be displayed on their profiles. According to the lawsuit, Grindr shared this data with companies like Localytics and Apptimize for targeted advertising purposes and potentially sold it to other parties.
Austen Hays emphasized the importance of Grindr in the 2SLGBTQ+ community for facilitating connections and called for accountability in handling user data. Eligible claimants who used the free app from 2016 to 2020 may receive £2,167 or $4,050 Cdn each as part of the settlement. Grindr plans to disburse the settlement funds by the end of 2026.
While Grindr denies the allegations, it acknowledges the concerns raised by U.K. users regarding the period before 2020. The company aims to address the “loss of trust” expressed by some users. In a separate case, Norway fined Grindr for unlawfully sharing user data, a decision the app maker unsuccessfully appealed in 2024.
Grindr, once owned by Beijing Kunlun Tech Co. Ltd., transitioned to ownership by San Vicente Acquisition LLC in 2020 following U.S. government orders for divestment due to data handling concerns. The app boasts over 15 million monthly active users globally and reported significant revenue in its latest investor update.
Overall, Grindr’s settlement in the U.K. lawsuit underscores the growing emphasis on data privacy and user trust in the digital landscape.
