At Grindr, your privacy is a top-of-mind priority when we design features that support your in-app experience.
We’re committed to being transparent about the ways in which we process your personal information. This article explains what machine learning (a component of AI) is, how Grindr performs profiling and automated decision-making powered by machine learning, and how these concepts together benefit both Grindr and you. Additionally, Grindr is committed to incorporating machine learning and automated decision-making in a way that guards against algorithmic bias.
Grindr's machine learning use cases
Key glossary terms1
- Machine learning - the capability of a device to perform functions that are normally associated with human intelligence such as reasoning, learning, and self-improvement.2
- Profiling - evaluating certain things about an individual, including interests, preferences or behavior, through an automated processing of personal information (e.g., using technology to determine someone’s interests and personal preferences based on his or her online behavior).3
- Automated decision-making - making a decision about an individual solely by automated means (i.e., making decisions by technological means without any human involvement in the decision-making process).4
- Special-category (sensitive) data - In some jurisdictions and under some regulations, information that may reveal an individual's racial or ethnic origin, details on their health or sex life/sexual orientation, or precise geolocation, among other data, may be considered "special category" data or “sensitive” data.5
- Limited data - Non-special category data or non-sensitive data that is personal information you have the option to provide, personal Information we receive from your device when you use the Grindr properties, and personal information we receive from third parties.6
Grindr’s machine learning use cases
Grindr utilizes automated decision-making and profiling through machine learning (and with the support of a machine learning partner) to support the following use cases:
To personalize your experience on Grindr:
We use some of the personal information that you provide us (such as portions5 of your Grindr profile) along with personal information we collect from your use of the service (e.g., metadata such as when you start a chat7 with another user or when you login8 to Grindr) to power machine learning algorithms based on your interests, preferences, and behavior derived or inferred from your use of the Grindr App. Leveraging this information allows Grindr to potentially utilize automated decision-making to make your Grindr experience more personalized such as developing the ability to recommend other profiles to you.
You remain in control of what information you include in your profile, including limited and special-category data. Where you have chosen to disclose special-category data, we rely upon your opt-in consent to use such information within the Privacy Settings menu. Where you have chosen to disclose limited data, we rely on legitimate interest as it's in our interest to improve our services and test new technologies in order to continually enhance the Grindr Services for our users. You can always opt out of our use of limited data by toggling “off” the control provided to you within the Privacy Settings menu. You can view the Legal Bases section of our Privacy Policy to understand our grounds for processing special-category data and limited data.
Note that we do not use, or share information from the Health section of your profile, including, but not limited to your: HIV status, vaccination status, or last tested date for AI or machine learning purposes.
To safeguard the Grindr platform:
We use automated decision-making and profiling to help protect Grindr from bad actors. For example, we may use machine learning to proactively flag profiles demonstrating the potential for engaging in behavior that is violative of our Community Guidelines and/or Terms of Service. This ultimately assists our efforts to prevent and respond to illegal, malicious, and unauthorized activity.
- Continually scan profiles to prevent, block and/or remediate fraudulent activity
- Review and automatically approve profile photos that adhere to our guidelines
- Review profile text, media (uploaded and shared via chat), and messages for violative content
The processing activities described above may lead to banning profiles who engage in illegal or unauthorized activities. In addition, we have a robust, human-moderated appeal system in place which ensures the right of everyone on Grindr to have a human review of any automated decision related to safeguarding the platform.
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1. These definitions are provided for reference only and may change on a jurisdictional basis.
2. Definition derived from NIST
3. Definition derived from Article 29 Working Party Guidance
4. Definition derived from Article 29 Working Party Guidance
5. Please review our Privacy Policy for additional information.
6. Please review our Privacy Policy for additional information.
7. Ethnicity, pronouns, gender, looking for, tribe, tags, position, and any text you enter into open fields across the app.
8. We may use chat messages to help create an individualized chatbot based on your personal chat style and interests.
9. As provided by your device to help make local recommendations for potential meetups.