Facebook Collects User Data from Tinder, Grindr and OkCupid

Dominic Whitlock 20th December 201820th December 2018 0 Comments

German mobile security experts Mobilsicher have published a report documenting how a number of apps have been sharing private data with Facebook.

Tinder, Grindr and OkCupid are among the apps that are allowing information to be collected using Facebook’s software development kit (SDK).

This information includes the device in use, IP address and advertising ID, making it possible for users to be targeted with specific adverts.

Facebook’s policies state that it can store data from third party apps that use its SDK, but it’s likely some of the developers are unaware to the extent this is happening.

According to BuzzFeed News, the Mobilsicher report explains: “Most developers we asked about this issue assumed that the information Facebook receives is anonymized.”

It’s estimated that 30% of all apps on the Google Play Store use Facebook’s SDK.

When 50 million Facebook accounts were hacked at the end of September it was revealed that third party apps were also at risk of being accessed. However, after initial checks Tinder was satisfied that none of its users had their accounts breached.

Grindr was exposed earlier this year for sharing its users’ HIV statuses with an external company.