Grindr's chief executive has warned users about divulging personal information through the gay dating app, as concerns about online safety rise following a political scandal in the UK.
“Ultimately, users need to be careful how they use the product,” George Allison told the Financial Times. “I can do everything I can to support them as a business, but ultimately, if I have to be careful, I have to be careful myself,” he said. Told.
The comments came after openly gay MP William Wragg admitted giving another MP's phone number to a man he met at Grindr. Mr Wragg, who has since left the ruling Conservative Party, was caught up in a so-called Operation Honeytrap in Westminster after sharing intimate images with the same person. This incident is currently the subject of a police investigation.
Allison said a third of users are “discreet” on the platform, meaning they don't reveal themselves. He said “privacy is of paramount importance” to Grindr because it needs to protect the safety of its users, who may live in countries where being gay is illegal or socially unacceptable. added.
Meanwhile, a major data protection case was filed this week in London's High Court, alleging that Grindr shared personal information, including HIV status, with third parties without consent.
Grindr said it intends to “vigorously respond to this claim, which appears to be based on a mischaracterization of practices that are more than four years old.” He has never monetized or shared health information for commercial purposes, he added.
Allison told the FT that Grindr “actively chooses not to provide information about its users to third-party partners” and therefore does not offer fully targeted advertising, thereby reducing advertising costs. He said it is connected to.
Grindr has several features to protect your anonymity, including expired photos that block you from taking screenshots, and privacy options that prevent you from appearing in the general grid feed of users you interact with. there is.
Allison, who took the helm at Grindr 18 months ago, said the app is developing an “escrow” feature where the app can hold photos of senders and only make them public if the recipient sends them.
“All of these features are already being built to give people even more privacy because many users need it for safety, not just people in certain professions,” Allison said. added.
The dating app's stock has been on a roller coaster ride since the company went public in November 2022 through a merger with a special acquisition vehicle. The stock price quadrupled during its stock market debut, but fell dramatically the following month. The stock has since risen to more than $10 in the last month, its highest price since the company went public.
Dating apps, including Grindr, often employ a “freemium” business model, offering most features for free to users but charging fees for advanced options.
Allison has focused on placating investors through steps such as a $359 million debt restructuring. He is keen to increase advertising, which he says accounts for about 15% of revenue.
“There should be more advertising on Grindr, because if you want to maintain a very robust product, you still have to pay for the work,” he said.
Grindr's monthly active users grew 8% last year to 13 million. However, only 7 percent are paid members.
“when [more than] 90% of users do not pay subscription fees. It makes sense to run ads,” he said, adding that Grindr is investing in its sales team to attract more advertisers and offering more options for ad placement and formats such as video. That's the plan, he added. However, brands need to be reassured that they have the right content moderation and safety protocols in place.
“Most advertising agencies don't know about us. [and] That’s our responsibility,” he said. “So we need a more forceful approach to all these places. [about] “We are looking to professionalize our organization a bit more as a public company and actively seek advertising deals,” he added.
These deals will fund Grindr's new product offerings, including investments in artificial intelligence.
Currently, users see a grid of other users based on their location, but this remains the “core” experience and no AI is involved. Allison called the feature a “holy grail” that gives users “immediacy and proximity.”
However, the company is considering an optional algorithmic grid to match users through AI. The company is also considering analyzing chat messages with users' permission to assist with matches and improve the “Wingman” chatbot. Wingman, scheduled for release next year, will act as an AI assistant that will suggest who to talk to on the app, help draft messages, and suggest date ideas.
Allison said she wants to accelerate the acquisition of new users, but she still plans to refrain from “aggressively targeting women,” who she believes needs a different product offering.
“Grindr is still fundamentally a product for gay and bisexual men,” he says. “That's our area of expertise, and frankly, that's the feature set we've created,” he said.
“Sex is such a big part of gay life. We want relationships, we want networking, and they often start with a deep sense of immediacy and intimacy,” he says. added.
Additional reporting by Elaine Moore