Tinder, Grindr, Happn, or Clue ... These popular apps were all pinned in a Norwegian survey revealed on Tuesday. Their wrong? Resell personal data to third-party companies, including the sexual orientation of users in the case of Grindr, in violation of the regulations.
According to the Norwegian Consumer Council, Grindr, which claims to be "the world's largest dating network for gay, bi, trans and queer people", shares GPS data, IP address, age and gender. users with a multitude of actors thus able to better target advertisements.
The online advertising industry is behind comprehensive illegal collection and indiscriminate use of personal data. We and more than 20 consumer groups around the world are now urging authorities to investigate. #outofcontrol #GDPR #privacy https://t.co/AMNR98XjBy pic.twitter.com/b9anFDydyL
- Forbrukerrådet (@Forbrukerradet) January 14, 2020The sharing of these data also implicitly betrays the sexual orientation of users, notes the Consumer Council at the origin of a report.
The Outlaw Advertising Industry
The latter, entitled “Out of control”, examines the collection and use of personal data by ten applications and concludes that “the advertising industry systematically breaks the law”.
"Each time you open an app like Grindr, advertising actors receive your GPS data, the identifiers of the device (used to connect, Editor's note) and even the fact that you use a gay dating app", denounces l Austrian activist Max Schrems.
"It is an insane violation of European user privacy rights," he said in a statement from the Consumers Council, an independent body receiving public funds.
Tinder, Qibla Finder, Clue pinned
Tinder is also pinned for sharing its users' data with at least 45 companies belonging to Match Group, operator of the dating site of the same name.
Other applications such as Qibla Finder (reminder of religious events for Muslims), Clue and MyDays (monitoring of fertility periods) or that for children My Talking Tom 2 are also pointed out.
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"Twenty months after the entry into force of the GDPR (general data protection regulation implemented in the EU in May 2018, editor's note), consumers are still widely followed and are subject to online profiling , and have no way of knowing which entities process their data and how to stop it, ”deplores the Consumers Council.
According to the organization, such practices could lead to cases of discrimination, manipulation or exploitation. Owned by the Chinese group Beijing Kunlun, Grindr did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
