Grindr, a popular hookup app, has settled a lawsuit in the U.K. regarding the alleged sale of sensitive user information, such as HIV status, to advertisers. The California-based company has agreed to 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 user data with other companies for payment or commercial benefits before April 2020.
The shared data included details like users’ HIV status, recent testing dates, test results, and PrEP usage. Users provide this information voluntarily and have the option to display it on their profiles. According to the lawsuit, this information was shared with third parties, including advertising companies like Localytics and Apptimize, for targeted advertising purposes, and may have been sold to additional parties.
Austen Hays emphasized that Grindr plays a crucial role in the 2SLGBTQ+ community by facilitating connections for gay, bisexual, trans, and queer individuals. The law firm stressed the importance of holding Grindr accountable and restoring trust in how user data is handled. Eligible claimants who used the free version of the app between 2016 and 2020 will 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 any admission of liability. The company acknowledged the concerns and loss of trust expressed by some U.K. users regarding the period before 2020. This legal action in the U.K. follows a previous incident where Norway fined Grindr for unlawfully sharing user data in 2021. Despite challenging Norway’s decision, Grindr lost its appeal in 2024.
Grindr, positioned as the largest social networking app for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals globally, was previously owned by Beijing Kunlun Tech Co. Ltd., a Chinese gaming company. The U.S. government mandated Kunlun to divest from Grindr due to data privacy concerns, leading to its sale to San Vicente Acquisition LLC for $620 million US in 2020. Reuters later revealed that some investors in the acquisition group had connections to Kunlun.
Launched in 2009, Grindr boasts over 15 million monthly active users worldwide. In its recent financial report, the app disclosed generating $138 million US ($190 million CAD) in revenue during the second quarter of 2026.