BLOOMBERG LAW - A magistrate judge recommended that most of the wrongful death and negligence claims against Grindr proceed in a case involving a minor, "A.V.," who died by suicide after using the LGBTQ+ dating app. The child's family alleges that Grindr's app features, which connect users based on physical type and location, contributed to A.V.'s emotional distress and death. Grindr argued for dismissal under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields platforms from liability for user content. However, the judge found that Grindr's liability might stem from its own app features, not user-generated content, allowing the case to move forward.
462 posts categorized "Grindr"
Grindr Should Face Suit Over Death of Child App User, Judge Says
| |
Grindr Reports Strong Revenue Growth and $25M Operating Income in Q2 2024
PRESS RELEASE - Grindr reported a 34% increase in revenue for Q2 of 2024, reaching $82M, with an operating income of $25M. Despite a net loss, the company achieved an adjusted EBITDA margin of 45%. Grindr has raised its full-year guidance, anticipating a revenue growth of 27% or greater and an adjusted EBITDA margin of over 42%. The company attributes its success to continued global user growth and enhanced product offerings, aiming to further improve user experiences and drive growth.
| |
Grindr Cooperates With Police After Alleged Homophobic Attacks in Canberra
ABC - Grindr is working with Aussie police to investigate three alleged homophobic attacks in Canberra, where men were reportedly lured by fake profiles, assaulted, and subjected to slurs. The app, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination and harassment, has teamed up with Canberra's LGBTQIA+ group Meridian to deliver in-app safety messages. Users are urged to verify identities via video call and meet in public places. Police are also investigating a potential link to a similar incident in New South Wales. In Victoria, police are addressing similar attacks on gay men, stressing vigilance and the importance of user safety.
| |
Grindr Hires Daschle Group for Lobbying on HIV Prevention and IVF
STAT - Grindr has engaged The Daschle Group to lobby on HIV prevention and LGBTQ+ family formation challenges, including surrogacy and IVF. This move comes amid legislative debates over reproductive healthcare access. The Daschle Group, founded by former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, will focus on issues like PrEP access and IVF legislation. This represents Grindr's first significant foray into lobbying, highlighting its commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community's health and family planning needs.
by Nicholas Florko & Sarah Owermohle
See full article at Stat
| |
Niche Dating Apps Thrive as Mainstream Rivals Struggle
FINANCIAL TIMES - Targeted dating apps are gaining traction as mainstream rivals like Tinder and Bumble face user declines. Apps like Grindr and Feeld attract specific communities, such as gay men and those interested in non-monogamy. Grindr's shares have doubled in 2023, contrasting with declining shares of Match Group and Bumble. Feeld has seen a 10% increase in users exploring open relationships and polyamory. These niche apps benefit from a deep understanding of their communities, leading to higher user loyalty and monetization opportunities. Match Group is shifting focus to niche products like Archer, for gay and bisexual men, and other demographically tailored apps to offset declines in mainstream platforms.
| |
Priest Sues Grindr After Being Outed
WASHINGTON POST - Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill, former top administrator of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, has sued Grindr for failing to protect his data, leading to his outing and resignation in 2021. Burrill claims Grindr did not inform users that their data could be accessed by vendors, which led to his personal information being exposed by a Catholic media site. The lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court, seeks damages and an order to prevent Grindr from releasing user data without notice. Grindr has denied the allegations, stating they are mischaracterizations of their data practices.
| |
Grindr Blocks Explore Function in Paris Olympic Village
THE PINK NEWS - Grindr has disabled its "explore" function in the Paris Olympic village to protect athletes' privacy. This measure aims to prevent competitors from being outed or harassed. Similar restrictions were previously implemented during the Beijing and Rio Olympics to ensure safety and privacy for LGBTQ+ athletes.
| |
Grindr CEO Discusses AI's Impact on Workforce and Founder Mindset
FORTUNE - At Fortune's Brainstorm Tech conference, Grindr CEO George Arison emphasized his lifelong drive to achieve the impossible. Arison, a veteran tech founder and former Google employee, joined Grindr after its 2022 IPO and is one of the few openly LGBTQ+ CEOs. He highlighted the essential qualities of arrogance and craziness for founders, echoing entrepreneur Steve Blank's view that founders are often seen as hallucinating visionaries driven to realize their ideas. Arison believes AI will drastically change the workforce, reducing the number of employees needed to build a successful company. Due to AI's capabilities, he envisions companies achieving significant revenue with fewer employees. However, he stressed that human employees will remain crucial, with each team member's contributions becoming more vital alongside synthetic workers.
| |
Tinder and Bumble are Tanking Because They Treat Men Badly, Grindr CEO Said
FORTUNE - Grindr CEO George Arison criticized Tinder and Bumble for neglecting their male users, who constitute 70% of their user base, at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference. Despite men often paying for premium services, their experience remains frustrating, leading many to quit online dating. Connell Barrett, founder of Dating Transformation, echoed these sentiments, noting that only 20% of men receive most matches while the rest struggle. Both suggested improvements like AI-generated dating advice and in-app dating therapists. Arison also highlighted that dating apps focus more on women's experiences, which he finds offensive, and called for a more balanced approach to benefit all users.
by Eva Roytburg
See full article at Fortune
See the top news on Tinder
See the top news on Grindr
See the top news on Bumble
| |
Hinge and Grindr Are Leaving Bumble and Tinder in the Dust
QUARTZ - "Online dating trends have continued to decelerate industry-wide, showing minimal relief from the recent struggles," Morgan Stanley analysts Nathan Feather and Brian Nowak wrote in a research note Tuesday. They pointed out that Hinge and Grindr were doing well. Hinge has seen a huge surge in paying users this year. User downloads increased 14% YOY in the Q2. Bumble's global user downloads rose only 2% in Q2. Tinder's downloads fell ~12% in Q2. And while Grindr hasn't seen a big increase in users, its stock has soared 120% from last year and ~32% from last month.
by Laura Bratton
See full article at Quartz
See the top news on Hinge
See the top news on Grindr
See the top news on Bumble
| |
Dating App Abusers Face Platform-Wide Bans in Australia
THE AGE - In Australia, users banned from one dating app will now be blocked across all related apps under a new voluntary code of conduct. This code, submitted by Match Group, Bumble, Grindr, and other companies, aims to enhance safety by de-platforming violators. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth announced the code, which will be reviewed in nine months for effectiveness. The code mandates that if a user is banned on one app, they will be banned on all apps owned by the same company. This move follows findings that 75% of dating app users experienced some form of sexual violence. The new rules, effective in October, also require regular reporting on terminated accounts and the establishment of a compliance oversight body.
by Clay Lucas
See full article at The Age
See the top news on Bumble
See the top news on Match Group
See the top news on Grindr
| |
Norwegian Court Upholds Fine Against Grindr for Illegal Data Use
THE LOCAL - A Norwegian court has upheld a $6M fine against Grindr for illegally sharing users' sensitive data with advertisers. The country's data protection agency, Datatilsynet, issued the 65M-kroner fine in 2021 for data-sharing practices between 2018 and 2020. Grindr must also pay half a million kroner in court costs. The shared data included users' geographical coordinates, ages, sex, and app usage status. Datatilsynet ruled that Grindr provided insufficient information on its data-sharing practices, violating the EU's GDPR. Grindr's appeal was dismissed, with the court affirming the data's sensitive nature due to its relation to sexual orientation. Grindr is considering a further appeal.
| |
Grindr to Delve Into Dating as More Users Seek Long-Term Relationships
WALL STREET JOURNAL - Grindr, a dating app best known for facilitating hookups between gay men, wants to get more into dating. The app is planning to add several new features aimed at helping its users, who are primarily gay and bisexual men, match up with others with the same intentions, from short-term sexual encounters to long-term relationships. The additions include using AI to identify users with shared interests. Grindr shares are up 17% this year, while Match is down 17% and Bumble has lost nearly a third of its value. This week, Grindr raised its revenue outlook for the year to ~25% growth from ~23% growth. It also forecasts between 20% and 25% annual revenue growth through 2027, equating to ~$600M in 2027 from ~$260 million in 2023.
| |
Dating Apps' Hidden Money-Making Strategies, Explained
WALL STREET JOURNAL - The $5B dating app industry is largely dominated by Match Group. But downloads across the industry are falling. Here's how some apps are shifting to stay competitive, with features that go beyond just dating. Video featuring Mark Brooks, CEO of Courtland Brooks; Shahzad Younas, CEO of Muzz; George Arison, CEO of Grindr; and Whitney Wolfe Herd, Founder of Bumble.
See the top news on Bumble
See the top news on Grindr
See the top news on Muzz
| |
Inside the Grindr App Relaunch
CITY A.M. - Grindr's app relaunch aims to expand beyond casual dating while still emphasizing hookups. Despite recent controversies and lawsuits, Grindr introduces free STI testing kits delivered to users' homes, aiming to remove barriers to testing and promote sexual health. VP of Brand Tristan Piñeiro emphasizes maintaining simplicity while adding versatility to the app's functionality. New features include the Roam feature for planning meet-ups while traveling and potential expansions into holiday booking and healthcare services.
| |