Norway to Fine Dating App Grindr $11.7M Over Privacy Breach
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:11 am
Many users on gay hook-up app GRINDR expect some degree of anonymity, but this case goes to show that the info we put about ourselves online goes further than we could ever imagine. It's good to see regulators holding big tech to account, at least in Norway. I imagine info like is a lot more leaky in other spots around the world.
https://www.cyberscoop.com/grindr-priva ... ne-norway/Norway’s data protection agency is proposing a fine of $11.7 million against Grindr for the alleged improper sharing of users’ data to third-party companies for marketing purposes.
The Norwegian Data Protection Authority (DPA) said Tuesday that Grindr, which bills itself as “the world’s leading LGBTQ+ social application,” had shared, without full consent, users’ GPS locations, profile data and other information with other companies. Grindr has until Feb. 15 to argue against the decision.
The case, which applies to the free version of the app, originated with a 2020 complaint from the Norwegian Consumer Council, and it falls under Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The DPA said the fine of 100 million Norwegian kroner would represent its largest ever, reflecting that “our findings suggest grave violations of the GDPR.”
“Users were not able to exercise real and effective control over the sharing of their data,” the Norwegian authority says. The regulators noted that the data-sharing also included, by default, “the fact that the user in question is on Grindr.”
“We believe that the fact that someone is a Grindr user speaks to their sexual orientation, and therefore this constitutes special category data that merit particular protection,” the authority said.