The latest survey from the Pew Research Center has found that the majority of US singles are concerned about how online dating companies are collecting data.
57% of the over 4,000 respondents admitted to being ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ concerned about how much private information the brands collect. Daters over 50 were more likely to be worried (63%) than those between the ages of 18 and 29 (48%).
Overall, the people most likely to feel anxious were those who have previously had bad experiences with online dating, as well as those who believe it has had a negative impact on romance and relationships.
In comparison, people who have had positive experiences were more likely to say that they understand the process and that the algorithms need information to suggest the most compatible matches.
The summary of the research referenced a claim from a Norwegian government agency earlier this year, alleging that major dating apps were violating GDPR.
The Norwegian Consumer Council suggested Tinder, OkCupid and Grindr spread private user information to “dozens” of advertising firms in order to show targeted marketing materials.
Chinese company Kunlun Tech has been forced to sell its majority stake in Grindr due to concerns about how it was handling user data. The $620 million agreement with San Vicente Acquisition was given the green light by the US government in the past few days.
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