Dating apps are terrible for privacy, study shows; see ranking

A study carried out by Mozilla concluded that dating apps are collecting more personal information than ever before and sharing, selling, or failing to adequately protect that data.

In privacy tests carried out by the foundation, 23 of the 25 applications evaluated failed, including TinderBumble, OkCupid, Scruff and Grindr. The only app that passed all tests was Lex, while Harmony and Happn received an “ok” rating, failing in some aspects. Grindr, aimed at the LGBTQ+ public, received the worst rating.

Dating apps are a precious source of personal data and can encourage users to share information about their personality, tastes, religion, ethnicity, political views, sexual orientation, weight, sexual practices, as well as photos and videos. Furthermore, most of them track your exact location, even when the application is not in use, such as Tinder, OkCupid and Grindr. According to Mozilla, 80% of apps can sell or share this personal data for advertising purposes, even when you pay for a subscription plan.

Of the 25 applications tested by the Mozilla foundation, 23 were failed, posing some security risk to the user; Grindr was the worst rated Photograph: Aly Song/REUTERS

Half of the apps evaluated failed security tests and have dealt with data breaches and leaks in the last three years. Mozilla cites the case of a conservative Catholic group that spent millions of dollars to buy Grindr data, through data brokers, to monitor gay priests in the US. The company was also recently sued by hundreds of users in the UK who allege their private information, including HIV status, was shared to advertising companies without consent.

The report also points out that 25% of applications collect information that the user has no idea they are sharing, such as metadata of shared content, including information about when a video or photo was taken, where and on what day. More than half of apps (64%) also say in their terms of use that they use data to identify other data, such as tracking your content using third-party services to “help identify your interests and activities, such as if your photo includes pets.” pet, sports or travel, and to help them provide better matches for you.” With this, a company can target the user with more ads or services to get more money.

Artificial intelligence exacerbates the problem

According to the report, the increasing use of artificial intelligence by applications may imply even less privacy and security. In 2022, Match Group, which controls OkCupid, used images from the app to train facial recognition software without users’ consent, for example.

Match Group also owns Tinder, Hinge, Match, BLK and 6 other apps, which, according to Mozilla, could allow you to share your information beyond the single app you use.

In a more recent example of the unethical use of AI, the study cites an investigation that found Grindr implementing AI-based chatbots capable of holding steamy conversations, trained from human users’ private messages, without their consent.

The foundation also considers that the use of AI algorithms to connect people, such as on Tinder, OkCupid and Happn, can reinforce racial and social biases.

The full survey and details of each app’s individual reviews can be seen on the Mozilla website.

How to protect yourself

The foundation recommends the following practices to maintain confidentiality and privacy on dating apps:

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Do not connect through other accounts and social networks. This allows more personal information to be shared with the company;
Disable personalized advertising, as well as the collection of non-essential data, in the application settings, if the option is available;
If you stop using the application, request the deletion of your data. Simply deleting the application does not erase your personal data or close your account;
Limit app permissions when possible, such as location, contact list, and photo album.

See the ranking

The only application that passed all of Mozilla’s security and privacy tests was Lex, which came in 1st position. Happn and eHarmony received an intermediate rating, still being considered safe. Everyone else, from Her to Grindr, failed on one or more criteria, such as data usage, data governance, history, security, and AI. Grindr, in last place, failed all criteria.