Grindr sharing users' HIV status with third
Grindr has a communication problem.
The social networking app used by 3.6 million people has been doing more than simply facilitating hookups, and in the process has potentially put the privacy of its users at risk.
SEE ALSO:This new Grindr feature could persuade users to regularly get tested for HIVAccording a report from BuzzFeed News, the company is sharing user data with two other companies — data that includes email addresses, GPS data, phone IDs, and HIV statuses. Taken as a whole, this information could be used to determine the HIV status of individuals by name.
After all, how many of you use some form of your real name as your email address? This, paired with your phone ID and GPS location, is likely more than enough to peg data to a specific person. What's more, even if Grindr doesn't have specific health data on you, this information might be enough to identify you as a user of a queer-focused app.
The companies in question are Localytics and Apptimize. Apptimize bills its service as helping companies "make better apps," and Localytics says its goal is "to help customers build stronger relationships with their mobile and web app users through our analytics and marketing platform."
So why do they need to know Grindr users' self-reported HIV statuses? According to Grindr, it's to make the app better.
"As an industry standard practice, Grindr does work with highly-regarded vendors to test and optimize how we roll out our platform," a company spokesperson told Mashable over email. "These vendors are under strict contractual terms that provide for the highest level of confidentiality, data security, and user privacy."
The statement further noted that yes, the "data may include location data or data from HIV status fields as these are features within Grindr, however, this information is always transmitted securely with encryption, and there are data retention policies in place to further protect our users' privacy from disclosure."
Tweet may have been deleted
And while the spokesperson insisted in the statement that "Grindr has never, nor will we ever sell personally identifiable user information – especially information regarding HIV status or last test date – to third parties or advertisers," that doesn't apply here as no one has accused Grindr of selling this information.
Following BuzzFeed News's report, Bryan Dunn, VP of Product at Localytics, issued a statement clarifying his company's policy surrounding the data it receives.
"We do not share, or disclose, our customer’s data," read the statement in part.
Still, this is all obviously not a good look for Grindr. The move to share HIV status information with other companies potentially puts the health and safety of users at risk. If that data were to leak or be stolen, or even accessed inappropriately by someone at Apptimize or Localytics, it could be devastating for those whose privacy was violated as a result.
Just exactly how devastating is revealed by a current lawsuit against CVS for allegedly unintentionally revealing the HVS status of 6,000 customers in Ohio. In that case, individuals claim to have experienced significant emotional distress following their nonconsensual exposure.
Grindr's sharing of this immensely personal data with other companies, no matter the stated intention and protections put in place, could have similar consequences if things went wrong. And on the internet, things almost always go wrong eventually.
UPDATE: April 2, 2018, 3:53 p.m. PDT According to Axios, Grindr will stop sharing the HIV status of its users with third-party companies.
Featured Video For You
Here's 5 tips for Spring cleaning your digital footprint
(责任编辑:行业动态)
- South Korea beefs up drills amid escalating NK provocations
- Tinder bans racist, sexist bro for life on National Pig Day
- 10 hidden features in Apple macOS Mojave
- Moon urges parliament to process budget, bills
- The OLED Burn
- Upgrade Your Monitor, Not Your GPU
- 湛江本土戏迷夺冠,《梨花情》惊艳全场!
- Facebook employees revolt after executive appears at Kavanaugh hearing
- The Supreme Court’s immigration decision won’t do much.
- How do you make safe, cheap nuclear reactors? Bury them a mile deep
- North Korean leader vows to 'preemptively' contain nuclear threats by hostile forces
- North Korean leader vows to 'preemptively' contain nuclear threats by hostile forces
- NSC discusses strategy on defense cost talks with US
-
Apple Watch 10 rumors: Everything we know so far
Apple Watch Series 10, also called "Apple Watch 10" or "Apple Watch X" among tech enthusiasts, shoul ...[详细] -
炎炎夏日,比天气更热的是市民的学习热情。市民走进书店、图书馆加油充电;在乡村,竹编培训班、茶叶培训班火热开课,群众积极参与其中。乡村文化站吸引孩子前去看书学习场景一:看书充电忙8日是星期六,市图书馆照 ...[详细]
-
David Runciman on the Brexit vote and how it will affect the UK and Europe.
On Thursday, citizens of the United Kingdom will vote on the so-called Brexit: the momentous questio ...[详细] -
'No problems' for Messi to face Mallorca: Setien
BARCELONA:Lionel Messi will be fit to play in Barcelona's first game back against Real Mallorca, des ...[详细] -
The Atlas is home to all things peculiar and bizarre. While sometimes it seems like we’ve seen ...[详细]
-
US flies spy plane over S. Korean capital areas: aviation tracker
A US reconnaissance plane flew over Seoul and surrounding regions, an aviation tracker said Wednesda ...[详细] -
North Korea's total suspected COVID
Staff at the Central Zoo conduct disinfection work to curb the current COVID-19 health crisis in Pyo ...[详细] -
North Korea could stage nuclear test this month: State Dept.
A TV screen at a train station in Seoul shows a news program reporting on North Korea's missile laun ...[详细] -
China's Tsinghua University has scored a world first by demonstrating the inherent safety of the fir ...[详细]
-
You should do your holiday shopping now. Yes, now.
This is You Won't Regret It, a new weekly column featuring recommendations, tips, and unsolicited ad ...[详细]
Discover Secret Swimming Holes and Hidden History in Crystal River, Florida
Why Facebook had to kill its Groups app
- 50 Years Later: The Revolutionary 8008 Microprocessor
- North Korea silent on South Korea's offer for COVID
- White House highlights possible N. Korean nuclear test this month
- US senators remind Moon, Abe of importance of trilateral cooperation
- Alcaraz, Sinner survive US Open wobbles
- Whaddya know, iPad and Apple Watch are selling like crazy again
- 选择多了 暑期欢乐也多了