Grindr agrees to £26m settlement over alleged sharing of users' HIV status and personal data
Quick Look
- Grindr has agreed to pay £26 million to settle a lawsuit alleging it shared users' personal information, including HIV status, with third parties before 2020.
- The settlement, filed with the US SEC, involves two £13m payments by December 2024 and March 2027, with no admission of liability.
- The case, led by Austen Hayes, represents over 11,000 claimants who experienced distress over unauthorized data sharing.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Grindr, the world's largest LGBTQ+ dating app, faced a class-action lawsuit in the UK High Court in 2024 over allegations it shared users' personal data, including HIV status, with third parties for commercial purposes before 2020, when it was owned by Chinese firm Kunlun. The case was later served in the US, with law firm Austen Hayes representing over 11,000 claimants.
Grindr has agreed to pay £26m to settle a lawsuit over allegations it shared users' personal information - including their HIV status - with third parties.
The world's largest LGBTQ+ dating app was sued in the High Court in 2024 over claims it misused people's personal information.
The class action suit was later served in the US, with the law firm leading the case saying it had signed up more than 11,000 claimants.
According to a US regulatory filing, Grindr will make two £13m payments to settle the claims. The firm said the settlement includes no admission of liability.
Grindr stressed the claims relate to "historical data practices" before 2020 when it was owned by Chinese firm Kunlun.
The filing submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, external by Grindr said a settlement had been reached on 2 September.
"While Grindr disputes the allegations, it recognizes and acknowledges the distress and loss of trust expressed by some of its UK users regarding that pre-2020 period," the company said in its filing.
The firm has agreed to pay £13m to the counterparties by 31 December and a further £13m by 31 March 2027.
The claims brought more than two years ago by law firm Austen Hayes alleged Grindr had shared sensitive data with third parties for commercial purposes, breaching UK privacy laws.
It said this included information about the ethnicity and sexual orientation of its users.
People on Grindr have the option to share their HIV status along with when they were last tested - a move it says aims to reduce stigma, facilitate conversations and help users make informed health choices.
Chaya Hanoomanjee, the lawyer who led the claim, said in April 2024 claimants had "experienced significant distress" over their sensitive and private information being shared without their consent.
She said the company "owes it to the LGBTQ+ community it serves to compensate those whose data has been compromised".
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Grindr will implement stricter data privacy controls to prevent future breaches
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What specific third parties received user data?
- How will the settlement funds be distributed among claimants?
- What changes has Grindr made to its data practices since 2020?
