Grindr, a popular hookup app, has agreed to a significant payout in a U.K. lawsuit settlement over allegations of selling sensitive user information, including HIV status, to advertisers. The California-based company will pay £26 million (about $48.6 million Cdn) to approximately 12,000 individuals who joined the claim filed by London law firm Austen Hays in 2024. The lawsuit accuses Grindr of breaching U.K. privacy laws by sharing data with third parties before April 2020 in exchange for financial benefits.
The shared data reportedly included details such as users’ HIV status, recent testing dates, test results, and PrEP usage. This information, voluntarily provided by users, could be displayed on their profiles. According to the lawsuit, the data was shared with companies like Localytics and Apptimize for targeted advertising purposes and potentially sold to additional parties.
Austen Hays emphasized that Grindr, known for facilitating dates and encounters within the 2SLGBTQ+ community, should be held accountable for mishandling user data and restore trust among its users. Eligible claimants who used the free version of the app from 2016 to 2020 may receive £2,167 or $4,050 Cdn each from the settlement.
Grindr, as per a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing, stated that the settlement does not imply admission of liability. The company acknowledged the concerns raised by some U.K. users regarding the period before 2020, even though they dispute the allegations. Notably, Norway had fined Grindr for data sharing violations in 2021, and Grindr lost its appeal against the decision in 2024.
Previously owned by Beijing Kunlun Tech Co. Ltd., Grindr was required by the U.S. government to divest due to data privacy concerns. Following the sale to San Vicente Acquisition LLC for $620 million US in 2020, it was reported that investors linked to Kunlun were involved in the acquisition. Grindr, established in 2009, boasts over 15 million monthly active users globally and reported $138 million US ($190 million CAD) in revenue in the second quarter of 2026 according to its latest investor report.