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Lawsuit alleges Grindr illegally shared users' HIV status, sensitive data with third-party advertisers. (www.theregister.com)

submitted 7 months ago by ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Hundreds have joined a UK class action lawsuit against LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr, seeking damages over a historical case of the company allegedly forwarding users' HIV status as well as other sensitive data to third-party advertisers.

This data included a user's HIV status and their last test date, their sexual preferences, and their GPS location – all of which were added to public profiles by users and later gathered up by Grindr's trackers.

The Norwegian Data Protection Authority (NO DPA) fined Grindr 65 million Norwegian kroner in 2020 ($5.9 million at today's exchange rate) for violating GDPR's consent rules. NO DPA's case didn't mention any violations regarding the sharing of HIV data or information about a user's sexual preferences. However, it ruled that third parties had received a user's GPS location, IP address, advertising ID, age, gender, and the fact that they used the app, and concluded that Grindr had disclosed user data to third parties "for behavioural advertisement without a legal basis."

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) said in October last year it was pushing for the FTC to probe the app maker after finding that it was retaining user data even after accounts were deleted – a practice Grindr's privacy policy explicitly says it wouldn't do.

Related Mozilla Research Report: Data-Hungry Dating Apps Are Worse Than Ever for Your Privacy.

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[–] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 106 points 7 months ago (15 children)

Always assume all companies will sell your data regardless of what they say and or claim...why is this hard for people to understand? None of these companies have your interests in mind, they don't care. It's all profit.

[–] foggy@lemmy.world 29 points 7 months ago (11 children)

Love when apps need a govt id to verify id.

Looking at you, Facebook.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 22 points 7 months ago (6 children)

Yeah, not touching that with a 10ft poll.

The only groups that need my govt details are those who interact with the government, and I don't want my social media apps to do any of that.

[–] seSvxR3ull7LHaEZFIjM@feddit.de 9 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

I discovered what works with Youtube (for age verification) is sending a picture of an ID with everything redacted but the date of birth, so that the date was the one and only thing visible. That worked! Although it could've really been anyone's ID, lol.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 4 points 7 months ago

I'd just send my middle finger with an old-enough birthdate (not mine) written on it.

[–] hemko@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Wait YouTube requires id verification to view "mature" content?

[–] 4am@lemm.ee 5 points 7 months ago

Not normally but if your account gets reported for being a minor or something they might. Possibly also for receiving money from ad income if you post content as well?

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