Grindr has agreed to pay £26 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by thousands of UK users who alleged the dating app shared highly sensitive personal data—including HIV status—with advertising companies. The settlement concludes a two-year legal battle initiated in April 2024, when London law firm Austen Hays filed a claim at the High Court of England and Wales on behalf of 12,000 users. The claim alleged violations of UK privacy laws during a period ending in early 2020.
Compensation Details and Timeline
If the £26 million is distributed equally, each of the 12,000 claimants would receive an average of £2,167. Under the terms of the settlement, Grindr will pay £13 million by the end of 2025 and a further £13 million by the end of March 2027.
Grindr’s Response and Regulatory Filing
In a US regulatory filing, the California-based company stated it had resolved the UK group action related to what it described as “historical data practices before 2020”, a period when Grindr was owned and controlled by Chinese gaming company Beijing Kunlun Tech.
The company said: “The settlement includes no findings or admission of liability. While Grindr disputes the allegations, it recognises and acknowledges the distress and loss of trust expressed by some of its UK users regarding that pre-2020 period.”
Ownership History and Corporate Evolution
Founded in 2009 to facilitate connections for gay men, Grindr now describes itself as the world’s largest dating app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people, with nearly 15 million users globally. Six years ago, the app was sold to investment group San Vicente Acquisition in a $608 million deal following intervention by a US government national security panel, which raised concerns that personal data of US users could be accessed by the Chinese government.
In 2022, Grindr went public on the New York Stock Exchange via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), valuing the business at $2.1 billion (£1.55 billion). The company’s current valuation stands at approximately $2.65 billion (£1.96 billion).
Privacy Overhaul and Current Commitments
According to the regulatory filing, Grindr has “overhauled its privacy programme since 2020, with a keen focus on the unique needs of its community”. The company added: “Grindr is and remains a safe space for users, committed to transparency, user control and responsible data practices.”
Legal Representation Statement
Austen Hays’ parent firm, Gateley, issued a statement noting: “While Grindr disputes the allegations, it recognises and acknowledges the distress and loss of trust expressed by some of its UK users regarding that pre-2020 period.
“We thank our clients for trusting us with this sensitive case.”
Previous Regulatory Actions
This settlement follows earlier regulatory scrutiny. In April 2018, Grindr announced it would stop sharing users’ HIV status with third-party companies after a report by Norwegian researchers exposed data sharing with two firms.
In 2021, Norway’s data protection authority fined Grindr 65 million Norwegian krone (£4.8 million)—equivalent to 10% of its global revenues—for violating data protection rules. Grindr appealed, but Norway’s court of appeal upheld the decision and fine in October 2024.
The appellate court concluded that Grindr’s claim that it did “‘not sell your personal user information to third parties for advertising purposes’ is clearly misleading”, given the company shared user data for advertising purposes.
Headquartered in West Hollywood, Grindr continues to operate as a major platform for the LGBTQ+ community while navigating the ongoing fallout from its historical data practices.