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When you use a dating app, you expect to share certain information to help you connect with other people. But what happens when some of your most sensitive personal details may be shared beyond the app?

That question is back in the spotlight after Grindr agreed to pay £26 million to settle claims that it improperly shared users' personal information, including HIV status, with third parties. The settlement follows a legal action involving thousands of people and highlights just how important privacy and informed consent have become for anyone using an online dating service.

According to BBC News, Grindr was sued in the UK High Court in 2024 over allegations that personal information had been misused. The law firm leading the case reportedly signed up more than 11,000 claimants.

Dating app Hinge announced that it is adding a $1 million fund for in-person events and social group gatherings in New York, Los Angeles, and London.

According to CNBC, the money is to subsidize free or lower cost events to attract young people. The fund is part of their One More Hour social impact initiative which the company launched last year. Hinge says it recognizes Gen Z’s need for more tangible ways to connect than just over a dating app, and wants to create more spaces for them to get together.

The groups will focus on a range of activities that include food, nature, and reading, for example. The purpose of the groups is to highlight an interest to attract people and give them something to do while they are meeting other people, taking the pressure off.

Bumble announced it has added ID Verification in addition to other new safety-related features to attract singles back to its app.

The new verification feature lets users submit a photo of a government-issued ID to prove they are who they say they are, and then they can earn a verified badge for their profile, according to Tech Crunch.

The female-centered app is appealing its core demographic with the announcement – focusing on its female clientele who are looking for more safety features on dating apps. ID Verification is available in 11 countries, including the U.S., U.K., Australia, France and India. The company intends to roll out in more countries in the coming months, according to The Seattle Times.

The CFO and CMO of Bumble have announced their departures for early 2025, a shakeup for the dating app company.

According to Seeking Alpha, Bumble’s Chief Financial Officer Anu Subramanian will continue in her role until March and Chief Marketing Officer Selby Drummond will leave in January. The company has started a search process to replace Subramanian, who joined the company in 2020 and led it through its initial public offering.

According to Tip Ranks, the moves caused the share price for Bumble to increase, but overall the stock has declined almost 40% just in the last year.

Dating app Grindr was ordered to pay a $5.7 million fine by a Norwegian Court, after the company was found to have violated EU regulations by sharing personal user data with third parties.

The court found that Grindr violated the GDPR by sharing sensitive data with third party advertisers, according to Agence-France Press. Norway’s data protection agency Datatilsynet found that the company had shared information such as geographical location, age, sexual orientation and health information such as HIV status with advertisers.

Grindr was accused of sharing this data between 2018 and 2020.

Tinder is launching a new in-app tool to encourage UK voters to access information about the upcoming election.

According to Mobile Marketing Magazine, the initiative called “Give an X” offers an in-app “Swipe Card” that provides unbiased information about the election and candidates so that users can make informed decisions for the General Election taking place this summer.

When a user swipes right on the card, Tinder redirects them to a Voting 101 FAQ page in partnership with youth-led, non-partisan charity My Life My Say. The FAQ page offers information on where to vote, what to bring, and steps for those who have recently moved as well as information about the election.