The world’s largest LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr has agreed to pay £26 million to settle a lawsuit brought against the company by thousands of users in the United Kingdom over privacy breach.
The litigants in April 2024 sued Grindr at the High Court of Wales and England, alleging that the American dating app shared their highly sensitive personal information, including HIV status in some instances with advertising companies.
In a statement on the development, the company stated that the terms of the settlement includes no findings or admission of liability but acknowledged the distress caused by the matter.
“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,” the company said.
One of the terms of the settlement includes Grindr agreeing to pay £13m by the end of this year, and a further £13m by the end of March 2027, U.S. regulatory filings showed.
Grindr maintained the alleged breaches occurred before 2020 when the app was owned by Chinese firm Kunlun. Investment group San Vicente Acquisition paid $608 million to acquire the company in 2020.