Grindr has announced three new privacy features that are designed to give users greater control over how their data is stored and distributed.
The first update is automating the process for members to see what information about them is being stored by the dating app. While this is an option that has already been available for years, interested users had to manually go through the customer service team.
Now they can simply download their data through the settings tab and have it emailed to them to view on multiple devices. They will also receive a ‘Data Dictionary’ to help them completely understand how all of the information is being displayed, such as chat and sign-in history.
Secondly, users can opt out of seeing targeted ads, so their activity on the dating app won’t be remembered by partners and lead to them seeing LGBTQ promotions elsewhere on the internet.
This could be an important option for people who haven’t told their loved ones about their sexuality and don’t want to be accidentally outed.
The final option is for singles to remove themselves from the ‘Viewed Me’ feature. This essentially allows them to browse incognito, as other members won’t be notified when they click on their profile.
However, withdrawing means they won’t be able to access their own ‘Viewed Me’ list of other users.
Shane Wiley, Chief Privacy Officer at Grindr, said in a statement: “We take our users’ privacy seriously and go beyond industry standards to give our community greater transparency, access, and control over their data.
“A sincere thanks to our Product and Engineering teams for making these features a reality. I’m equally thankful to our Leadership team for keeping our privacy goals a top priority.”
Grindr’s data privacy was called into question again in the last few weeks after a conservative group revealed the identity of a leading Catholic priest who was using the app.
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