Data Protection Lawsuit Puts Grindr in the Legal Spotlight

The users reportedly claim the gay dating app shared personal information, which included HIV statuses, with third parties. Law firm Austen Hays indicated it filed the lawsuit at the London High Court, alleging this could affect thousands of UK users.

According to this filing, Austen Hays claims Grindr gave sensitive personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. The company indicated to the Guardian that it plans to respond “vigorously to this claim” and that it misrepresents issues from over four years ago.

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Chaya Hanoomanjee, LinkedIn

The legal firm said that about 670 people were involved in this legal action covering the period between 2018 and 2020. It is also believed that thousands more will join this action. Chaya Hanoomanjee, the managing director at Austen Hays, commented:

Grindr owes it to the LGBTQ+ community it serves to compensate those whose data has been compromised and have suffered distress as a result, and to ensure all its users are safe while using the app, wherever they are, without fear that their data might be shared with third parties.

In response to the allegation, a Grindr spokesperson said:

We are committed to protecting our users’ data and complying with all applicable data privacy regulations, including in the UK.

At the close of trade on Monday, 22 April 2024, Grindr shares dropped by 1.02% and sold for $9.68 apiece.