Dating app Grindr agrees to million dollar settlement after data protection lawsuit

The dating app Grindr has agreed to a settlement of 26 million pounds (around 30 million euros) against the background of allegations of violations in the handling of user data. This is intended to settle a group lawsuit in Great Britain, according to a statement from the company to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The platform, founded in 2009, claims to be one of the world's largest social networks for gay, bisexual, trans and queer people.

A British law firm, which claims to have led the class action lawsuit against Grindr, accuses the app of passing on users' personal data and sensitive information to third-party companies without the necessary consent. "The data shared may have included highly sensitive personal information, such as HIV status," the firm's website said.

"Grindr denies the allegations, but recognizes the distress and loss of trust expressed by some of its UK users in relation to this period prior to 2020," Grindr said in the statement. At that time, the company still belonged to a Chinese owner. Today the company belongs to an international group of investors.