Two senators request Grindr detail how it shares user data
Thu. April 5, 2018 12:59 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
Report: Grindr gay dating app gave away users' personal HIV status info
Following reports that Grindr was sharing sensitive information users choose to include in their profiles, including HIV status, two U.S. Senators called on the company this week to detail how it's using such data.
Senators Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) sent a letter to Grindr Interim CEO Zhou Yahui on Tuesday asking the companies to explain whether it seeks users' consent to share or sell information, including their geolocation, sexuality and HIV status.
"Simply using an app should not give companies a license to carelessly handle, use, or share this type of sensitive information," the letter stated.
Grindr is required to respond by April 17.
The letter came just one day after Buzzfeed News reported that Grindr has been sharing its 3.6 million daily active users' data with two other companies, Apptimize and Localytics.
Grindr on Monday said that it would stop sharing HIV status information with third parties.
Senators Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) sent a letter to Grindr Interim CEO Zhou Yahui on Tuesday asking the companies to explain whether it seeks users' consent to share or sell information, including their geolocation, sexuality and HIV status.
"Simply using an app should not give companies a license to carelessly handle, use, or share this type of sensitive information," the letter stated.
Grindr is required to respond by April 17.
The letter came just one day after Buzzfeed News reported that Grindr has been sharing its 3.6 million daily active users' data with two other companies, Apptimize and Localytics.
Grindr on Monday said that it would stop sharing HIV status information with third parties.