Norway fines dating app Grindr $7.16M over privacy breach

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norway’s data privacy watchdog fined gay dating app Grindr $7.16 million for sending sensitive personal data to hundreds of potential advertising partners without users’ consent. The Norwegian Data Protection Authority said Wednesday that it imposed its highest fine to date because the California-based company didn’t comply with the European Union’s strict privacy rules. Norway isn’t an EU member but closely mirrors its rules. Norway’s Consumer Council filed a complaint against Grindr in 2020 for disclosing information about its users, including GPS locations, ages and their use of the app, to several third parties for marketing purposes. The data privacy watchdog says users weren’t asked specifically if they wanted to allow their data to be shared.