Grindr Implements Safety Measures for Winter Olympics

Grindr has announced temporary safety enhancements for users during the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, running February 6–22, 2026, in Italy. The measures aim to protect LGBTQ+ athletes and attendees, particularly those from countries where same-sex relationships are criminalized or stigmatized, amid heightened visibility in the Olympic Village.

Key changes include disabling the Explore and Roam features within Olympic Village boundaries, preventing users outside the venues from browsing or messaging those inside. Show Distance will be turned off by default, with an option to display approximate distance only. Private videos (one-view media) will be fully disabled in official Olympic locations. These restrictions build on safeguards Grindr implemented at the 2022 Beijing and 2024 Paris Games, marking the third consecutive Olympics with such protections.

Grindr’s chief product officer, AJ Balance, explained: “The Olympic Games bring heightened visibility, which can create real safety risks for LGBTQ+ athletes, especially those who are not out or come from countries where being LGBTQ+ is dangerous or illegal. These temporary changes are about reducing that risk and giving users greater control of their privacy while keeping the app available.”

Additional features available to all users during the Games include unlimited disappearing messages, the ability to unsend messages, and default blocking of screenshots for profile images and chat photos. In-app safety reminders with support resources will appear regularly, and third-party ads will be replaced by public service announcements.