Grindr Fined $6 Million for Sharing “Sensitive” User Data
A Norwegian court upheld a fine imposed on Grindr for allegedly sharing users' "sensitive" information with third parties.
The popular gay dating app Grindr has been fined 65 million Norwegian Krone — or just over $6 million in U.S. dollars — for allegedly sharing “sensitive” user data with commercial companies.
On July 1, the Oslo District Court upheld a fine imposed on the company by the Norwegian Data Protection Authority, a federal regulatory body, for breaching the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a European Union law that aims to protect personal data and fundamental rights in digital spaces.
The case dates back to 2020 when the Norwegian Consumer Council filed a complaint as part of a report alleging that Grindr was sharing personal data with numerous commercial third parties.
Several of those third parties subsequently reserved the right to share that personal information with potentially thousands of other companies, primarily to carry out targeted advertising campaigns.
Critics of the information-sharing scheme, including the Consumer Council, argued that personal data could potentially be used for various purposes, including influencing elections or advertising particular products or services to people struggling with addictions or other problems.
That information, in turn, could be used to target or even persecute minorities and other vulnerable groups.
The Norwegian Data Protection Authority fined Grindr after finding that it had violated the GDPR. The company appealed the decision to the Norwegian Privacy Appeals Board, which also found it in breach of the law. Grindr then subsequently appealed to the Oslo District Court.
The Norwegian Consumer Council hailed the district court ruling as a “significant victory in the fight to protect consumer privacy and security online.”
“The collection, sharing and use of personal data for commercial purposes is out of control — and is finally being cracked down on,” Inger Lise Blyverket, director of the Council, said in a statement. “We are satisfied that the court clearly affirms that Grindr’s sharing of sensitive information with third parties is illegal.
“This sends a strong signal to all companies that engage in commercial surveillance,” Blyverket added. “There are no blank checks to collect and share personal data. We expect that the digital advertising industry, which profits from tracking and profiling consumers, makes comprehensive changes in order to protect consumers’ fundamental rights.”
In an email to Metro Weekly, a Grindr spokesperson expressed disappointment in the Norwegian court’s ruling.
“We are disappointed that the Oslo District Court declined to reverse Norway’s regulatory ruling on historical privacy practices from 2018 to 2020,” said Kelly Peterson Miranda, chief privacy officer at Grindr. “We are reviewing the decision and evaluating our options, including an appeal.
“While Grindr’s privacy practices were significantly enhanced more than four years ago, it is still fundamentally wrong to apply different legal rules to users of Grindr during that earlier period than to users of other dating and social networking apps.”
“Our commitment to user privacy, data protection, and transparency is unwavering, and we employ rigorous screening protocols for any partners we work with and provide industry-leading transparency about the limited circumstances in which user information may be shared,” Miranda added.
“The company continues to expand its ecosystem to enable gay, bi, trans, queer, and curious people to connect and express themselves, and looks forward to upholding its commitment to protecting the privacy and data security of our users.”
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