Tinder Changes Terms & Conditions After Complaint From Norwegian Government Agency

3rd April 2017 Simon Edmunds

Tinder has changed its terms and conditions after it came under fire from a Norwegian government agency last year.

In May 2016, the Norwegian Consumer Council said Tinder’s “unbalanced and unfair” terms gave the dating app control over the content that users upload.

The government body said this put the user in a “lawless void” with regards to the ownership and control of their own content, such as pictures, chat logs and video.

But now the NCC has concluded its case against the company, after Tinder worked with the organisation to change its terms.

The changes include making the terms and conditions simpler and shorter, as well as enabling Norwegian consumers to read the terms in Norwegian.

Tinder has also added a “brief summary” of the terms before the agreement is accepted, and users will be notified if any “material changes” to the service and the terms are made – showing a summary of the changes that have been enacted.

The Hollywood app has also clarified its own right to user-generated content, and the company is now not entitled to use photos for marketing purposes without consent.

This user-generated content will also be deleted when an account is cancelled, and Tinder has clarified what circumstances can lead to Tinder terminating the agreement with the user.

Speaking about the changes, a Tinder spokesperson told Engadget: “As a global platform, we work to adhere to the laws and regulations within each of our markets while striving to provide the best experience possible.

“We worked closely with the Norwegian Consumer Ombudsman to find a solution through a collaborative partnership. The positive outcome demonstrates our commitment to our users and resulted in improvements to Tinder’s terms worldwide.”

With the changes, the NCC is satisfied that the terms comply with both Norwegian and European consumer protection regulations.

In a statement, Consumer Ombudsman Elisabeth Lier Haugseth said: “It must always be possible for consumers to understand what they are actually agreeing to when they download an app.

“We are pleased that Tinder has now decided to make its terms and conditions more concise and clear. It is now easier for consumers to familiarise themselves with the conditions they accept when they start using the app.”

The NCC is now going after Facebook, Twitter and Google+, asking the companies to change their terms and conditions “so they comply with European consumer law”.

The organisation said: “The companies have also been told to do more to protect consumers against fraud. The Consumer Ombudsman has actively participated in this work.”