Grindr users’ sensitive data shared through ad auctions without valid consent

Norway’s privacy regulator Datatilsynet has fined advertising technology company Xandr 92 million Norwegian kroner, approximately $9.6 million, for unlawfully processing and sharing sensitive information about Grindr users. While the decision concerns users in Norway, the data-sharing practices were not confined to Norwegian users. BleepingComputer reports that information about Grindr users in other countries was also exposed through the advertising system. Between July 2018 and April 2020, Xandr handled real-time advertising auctions involving Grindr users. These automated auctions let advertisers bid to display an ad, but also involved circulating information about the person who would see it. Sensitive information revealing sexual orientation could potentially reach thousands of companies. Crucially, users did not have to disclose their sexual orientation in their profiles. Datatilsynet said that simply being identified as a Grindr user was information that indicated sexual orientation. According to the regulator, Xandr relied on Grindr to obtain consent without checking whether that consent was valid. As a company jointly responsible for the processing, Xandr had its own obligations. It was not enough to simply assume the app had obtained the explicit consent required. This was not a case of hackers breaking into a dating app. The information was flowing through an advertising business without a valid legal basis. Privacy group noyb , which filed the complaint in cooperation with the Norwegian Consumer Council, says such systems use tracking identifiers to build profiles of people’s interests, habits, and behavior. Are your details being used by cybercriminals? Although Xandr now belongs to Microsoft, the misconduct predates its acquisition. Microsoft completed its purchase of Xandr from AT&T on June 6, 2022, more than two years after the period covered by the fine. Microsoft told BleepingComputer it was reviewing the decision and assessing its options. How to protect your privacy This is a Norwegian enforcement action, but the data-sharing practices crossed borders. Users in the US and elsewhere shouldn’t assume their information stayed private just because the fine was issued in Norway. You can limit how much additional information you disclose by giving a dating app only what you need to use it. Leave optional profile fields blank when the information feels too personal. Avoid publishing your workplace, home address, regular schedule, or other details that make you easy to locate. Review location permissions and advertising settings and limit them where possible. Think carefully before linking social accounts that reveal more of your identity. Don’t use dating apps on company-issued devices. These precautions cannot guarantee privacy. Responsibility for unlawful sharing lies with the companies involved. This case shows that sensitive information can come from using the service itself, not just from what you write in your bio. Scammers don’t need to hack you. They just need you to click once. Malwarebytes Identity Theft Protection catches suspicious activity before it becomes a problem. About the author Was a Microsoft MVP in consumer security for 12 years running. Can speak four languages. Smells of rich mahogany and leather-bound books.