These privacy concerns became so substantial that, in March 2020, Grindr’s Chinese owners acquiesced to sell to a U.S.
And, in January 2020, the Norwegian Consumer Council released a report finding that Grindr was currently sharing user tracking information, precise geolocation, and sexual orientation with external marketers-prompting, in part, a House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy investigation. Such breaches could bring tangible consequences, such as blackmail, doxing, financial loss, identity theft, emotional or reputational damage, revenge porn, stalking, or more-especially regarding sensitive content such as explicit photos or sexual orientation.įor example, in 2018, Grindr acknowledged that it had shared users’ HIV status with third-party companies and contained a security vulnerability that could leak users’ locations. Since dating websites and apps collect, process, and share data from a greater percentage of these individuals, they could bear disproportionate effects of any privacy or security breaches. adults had tried online dating in 2019, that percentage rises to 55% for LGBTQ+ adults and 48% for individuals ages 18 to 29. The potential privacy implications are especially salient when we consider the demographics of people who use dating apps. Grindr, an LGBTQ+ dating app, even allows users to share their HIV status and most recent testing date. Some, such as precise geolocation or swipe history, are details that users may be unaware are collected, stored, or shared outside the context of the dating app. Much of this information can be linked back to the original user, such as name, photos, email address, telephone number, or age-especially when combined or aggregated with other data. From March to May 2020, OKCupid saw a 700% increase in dates and Bumble experienced a 70% rise in video calls.ĭespite the expanded opportunities and accessibility that dating apps provide during a pandemic, they also collect a tremendous amount of personally identifiable information. Match Group, the parent company which controls 60% of the dating app market, reported a 15% increase in new subscribers over the second quarter of 2020-with a record-breaking 3 billion Tinder swipes, or initial interactions with other users, the day of March 29. Research Intern, Center for Technology Innovation - The Brookings InstitutionĪfter the outbreak of COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdowns, the number of users on dating apps exploded. A 2017 Stanford research study even found that 39% of American heterosexual couples had met online-a more commonly-cited manner than traditional alternatives such as introduction by a mutual acquaintance. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 30% of American adults had tried online dating in 2019-including 52% of those who had never been married-compared to just 13% in 2013. adults who meet people online has significantly increased in recent years-and much of this growth can be attributed to the rise of smartphone dating apps like Tinder, Grindr, OKCupid, Hinge, and Bumble. A Tinder-box situation: the privacy risks of online datingĮven before the pandemic, the percentage of U.S. privacy legislation must be ready to keep up. Whether driven by the colder weather, social distancing, or holiday spirit, there is no doubt that a significant part of this year’s “cuffing season” will take place on smartphone apps-and U.S. In 2020-likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic-dating apps have reported even higher online engagement than in previous years.
The months of October through February are what some media outlets are calling “cuffing season,” a period when people reportedly experience greater interest in romantic relationships.
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