Grindr $ 11.7 million for illegally sharing private user information with advertisers

Grindr will be fined 100 million Norwegian kroner, or about $ 11.7 million, by the Norwegian Data Protection Authority for illegally sharing private information about Grindr users with advertisers. to me New York times.

Previous JanuaryFor, the Norwegian Consumer Council filed three complaints against Grindr for sharing personal information, including users’ locations and information about the device they were using, with advertisers. (One of those advertisers was MoPub, Twitter’s mobile advertising company.) Associating this information with an individual may indicate that person’s sexual orientation without their consent, and now, the Norwegian data protection agency is taking action against Grindr for this practice.

Grindr has until February 15th to comment on the Norwegian Data Protection Authority ruling.

“We are constantly working to improve our privacy practices while keeping in mind evolving privacy laws and regulations, and we look forward to entering into a fruitful dialogue with the Norwegian Data Protection Authority,” said Bill Shafton, Grindr’s vice president of business and legal affairs. the edge.

The app is not particularly known for its heavy attention to user safety. Grindr has been caught showing users HIV cases of two other companies in April 2018Which company stop working. And with one very bad weakness, which we wrote about in OctoberAnyone who knows your email address can access your account.

Grindr has a new owner following a US government commission Express national security App Concerns – It was sold by its Chinese owners to the San Vicente Acquisition investor group in March 2020.