Twitter drops Grindr from ad network over 'GDPR breaches'
0Reported today on The Guardian Technology
For the full article visit: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jan/15/twitter-drops-grindr-from-ad-network-over-data-breaches
Twitter drops Grindr from ad network over 'GDPR breaches'
Dating app accused of flouting GDPR law by passing personal data to ad firms but report says problem is endemic
Twitter has suspended Grindr from its ad platform after a study claimed the dating app was passing significant amounts of private information to advertisers without explicit consent from users.
The study, carried out by the Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC), found that the online advertising industry was "systematically breaking the law", transmitting personal data and tracking users in ways that are banned under the GDPR, the EU's data law.
Of the 10 apps examined in depth by the NCC, which included period trackers and dating apps, Grindr stood out as being significantly problematic. The council said the app had such a "vague" privacy policy that it was probably in breach of GDPR, particularly concerning how the company tried to excuse itself from misuse of data by advertising partners.
Grindr told users that they needed to check with partners to find out how their data was used, but only named one such partner, MoPub, an ad network owned by Twitter. MoPub, in turn, lists more than 160 partners to which data may be passed.
"By stating that it does 'not control the use of these tracking technologies', and by asking users to read the privacy policies of any third-party companies that may receive personal data, Grindr is attempting to shift accountability for the advertising technologies that it is using away from itself," the report concluded.
Max Schrems, founder of the European privacy non-profit organisation Noyb, told the NCC: "Every time you open an app like Grindr, advertisement networks get your GPS location, device identifiers and even the fact that yo