Grindr: Norway fines dating app for violating user data privacy

The Norwegian data privacy watchdog sanctioned gay dating app Grindr 65 million crowns, equivalent to the sum of $ 7 million, on Wednesday, December 15, for sending sensitive personal data to hundreds of partners. potential advertising without having the consent of its users. In this way, they breached the rigorous privacy laws incorporated by the European Union.

The Norwegian Data Protection Authority reported that it is the highest fine they register because the company did not comply with community regulations. Norway is not in the block of 27 countries, but it follows its regulations.

In 2020, the Norwegian Consumers Council also filed a lawsuit against Grindr for disclosing information about its users: GPS location, IP address, age, gender, and the use they made of the app to third parties for commercial purposes.

The agency indicated that users “were forced to accept the privacy policy as a whole to use the app” and were not explicitly asked if they agreed to have their data shared with companies “for behavioral advertising”.

The decision of the data protection entity aims to make companies involved in commercial surveillance understand that they will not be light with their sanctions in similar cases, according to statements by the director of digital policy of the Consumer Council, Finn Myrstad.