Norwegian research raises questions regarding whether specific methods for sharing of information violate information privacy legislation in European countries as well as the united states of america.

By Natasha Singer and Aaron Krolik

Popular online dating services like Grindr, OkCupid and Tinder are distributing individual information like dating alternatives and location that is precise marketing businesses with techniques that will violate privacy laws and regulations, in accordance with a unique report that analyzed a few of the world’s most installed Android os apps.

Grindr, the world’s many popular dating that is gay, sent user-tracking codes together with app’s name to a lot more than a dozen businesses, really tagging people who have their intimate orientation, in line with the report, which was released Tuesday because of the Norwegian customer Council, a government-funded nonprofit company in Oslo.

Grindr additionally delivered a user’s location to companies that are multiple which might then share that data with numerous other organizations, the report stated. Once the ny days tested Grindr’s Android os software, it shared accurate latitude and longitude information with five organizations.

The scientists additionally stated that the OkCupid application sent a user’s ethnicity and responses to individual profile questions — like “Have you utilized psychedelic medications?” — to a company that can help businesses tailor advertising messages to users. The changing times unearthed that the site that is okCupid recently published a summary of a lot more than 300 marketing analytics “partners” with which it could share users’ information.

“Any customer with a typical quantity of apps to their phone — anywhere between 40 and 80 apps — could have their information distributed to hundreds or maybe huge number of actors online,” said Finn Myrstad, the electronic policy manager for the Norwegian customer Council, whom oversaw the report. Continue reading →