Grindr agrees to £26 million settlement over sharing HIV information

Grindr has agreed to pay £26 million to settle a two-year-old case over allegations that the dating app shared users’ personal information with advertising companies, including their HIV status.

The case was brought by thousands of British users through the law firm Austen Hays in 2024. The settlement closes the proceedings, which focused on data allegedly shared by the app with advertisers.

Grindr describes itself as the world’s largest dating app for gay, bisexual and transgender people. Like Tinder and other dating platforms, it allows users to find people to date in their local area.

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historical data practice from before 2020

In court, Grindr argued that the alleged sharing did not involve current practices. The company said the cases dated from before 2020, when its former owner, Beijing Kunlun Tech, sold the business to the U.S. holding company San Vicente Acquisition. Grindr called the matter a "historical data practice from before 2020" and denied the allegations.

The California-based company said the settlement did not establish any conclusions or amount to an admission of responsibility. It nevertheless said it recognized the distress and loss of trust the case may have caused some users.

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The settlement does not mean that there are conclusions or an admission of responsibility.