Grindr, a popular hookup app, has agreed to pay £26 million (about $48.6 million Cdn) to settle a U.K. lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by London law firm Austen Hays in 2024, accused Grindr of breaching privacy laws by sharing sensitive user information, such as HIV status, with advertisers before April 2020. This data, which included details like HIV testing dates and PrEP usage, was allegedly shared with companies like Localytics and Apptimize for targeted advertising purposes, and may have been sold to additional parties.

Austen Hays emphasized that users may have unknowingly exposed their information to third parties, believing it was only visible to other app users. The law firm stressed Grindr’s significance in the 2SLGBTQ+ community for facilitating connections among gay, bisexual, trans, and queer individuals, calling for greater accountability in safeguarding user data.

Eligible claimants who used the app’s free version between 2016 and 2020 could receive £2,167 or $4,050 Cdn each under the settlement. Grindr, a publicly traded company, plans to disburse the settlement in two installments, with the first half expected by the end of 2026 and the remainder by March 31, 2027.

Despite denying the allegations, Grindr acknowledged the concerns raised by U.K. users regarding the period before 2020. The company clarified that the settlement does not imply liability on its part. This legal action in the U.K. followed a similar incident in Norway, where Grindr faced a significant fine for unlawfully sharing user data.

Grindr, once owned by Beijing Kunlun Tech Co. Ltd., was mandated by the U.S. government to divest due to data handling concerns. Following a sale to San Vicente Acquisition LLC, Grindr reported over 15 million monthly active users globally. In its recent investor report, the app disclosed revenue of $138 million US ($190 million CAD) in the second quarter of 2026.