A new PhD has detailed how Grindr has revolutionised dating culture for gay men.
The research was written by Kristian Møller, a postdoc at the IT University in Copenhagen, Denmark.
In the report, Møller argues that Grindr first took the practise of cruising from the streets to the internet, but has now, in some ways, taken it back to the streets.
He said: “Gay culture has long been mediatised and closely knitted with communication technology. Having sex with other men has always depended on ‘spaces’ [hidden from authorities] in the city.
“Gay men have used media to create their own spaces, for example through contact advertisements. We use code words for each other and to go under the radar.
“Grindr has mobilised the digital practice. Cruising has come out in the city again. In that way, the circle is closed. You see someone on the street and think ‘is he gay?’ So you open Grindr and find him.”
The research, titled: “The mediatization of intimacy: A study of hook-up apps and gay men’s intimacy cultures” is available to view here.