Jump to content

Grindr

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Grindr Inc.
Company typePublic
NYSE: GRND
Industry
FoundedMarch 25, 2009; 15 years ago (2009-03-25) in Los Angeles, California
FounderJoel Simkhai
Headquarters
West Hollywood, California, U.S.
Areas served
Worldwide
Key people
Products
  • Grindr (app)
  • Gaymoji by Grindr
  • Bloop
  • Grindr for Equality
Websitewww.grindr.com

Grindr (/ˈɡraɪndər/ ⓘ) is a location-based social networking and online dating application targeted towards gay and bisexual men, and transgender people.[1][2]

It was one of the first geosocial apps for gay men when it launched in March 2009, and has since become the largest and most popular gay mobile app in the world.[3][4][5] It is available on iOS and Android devices in both free and premium versions (the latter called Grindr XTRA and Grindr Unlimited). As of September 2023, Grindr has approximately 13.5 million monthly active users.[6]

The app allows users to create a personal profile and use their GPS position to place them on a cascade, where they can browse other profiles sorted by distance and be viewed by nearby and faraway users depending on one's filter settings. Selecting a profile photo in the grid view will display that user's full profile and photos, as well as the option to chat, send a "tap," send pictures, video call, and share one's precise location.

History

[edit]

Original ownership (2009–2015)

[edit]

Grindr was launched as an iOS mobile app on March 25, 2009, by tech entrepreneur Joel Simkhai in Los Angeles, California.[7] The free version displayed 100 profiles of nearby men, while a premium version ($2.99 plus a monthly fee) contained no advertising and broadened the dating pool to 200 men.[8] Cautious but generally positive reviews of the app circulated through the gay blogosphere on sites such as Queerty[9] and Joe My God.[10] By August 2009, there were 200,000 total users in Grindr's network.[8] By March 2010, there were 500,000.[11]

For its first anniversary on March 25, 2010, Grindr released the app for BlackBerry devices.[11]

In January 2011, Grindr won the iDate Award for Best Mobile Dating App.[12]

On March 7, 2011, Grindr launched the app for Android devices. Along with a free version, users could pay $4.97 for a premium version called Grindr XTRA that featured no banner ads, more profiles to choose from, more "favorites," and push notifications of messages received while the app is running in the background.[13]

In May 2011, Vanity Fair dubbed Grindr the "World's Biggest, Scariest Gay Bar".[14]

In January 2012, a vulnerability in the app's security software enabled hackers to change the profile picture of a small number of primarily Australian Grindr users to explicit images. Grindr subsequently commenced legal action and made software changes that blocked the site responsible.[15]

In January 2012, Grindr won TechCrunch's Crunchies Award for Best Location Application and two iDate Awards for Best Mobile Dating App and Best New Technology.[16][17] In April 2012, Grindr won the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Dating App, after 74 percent of readers chose Grindr over Zoosk, SKOUT, Tagged, Tingle, and Are You Interested. In May 2012, the 2012 Webby Awards named Grindr an Official Honoree in its "Social (Handheld Devices)" category.[18] Fewer than 15% of entries submitted to the Webby Award committee that year received the Official Honoree distinction, which recognizes the best in Internet content, services, and commerce.[19]

On June 18, 2012, Grindr announced that it had officially hit 4 million registered users in 192 countries across the globe.[20]

On July 22, 2012, after Grindr experienced a technical outage, British tabloid The People (now The Sunday People) reported that Grindr's crash was due to the volume of usage upon the arrival of Olympic athletes in London for the 2012 Summer Olympics looking for hook-ups.[21] The report caused rumors to circulate regarding the athletes' potentially scandalous sexual behavior. Grindr quashed the rumors the next day and blamed the outage on technical issues not related to server demand.[22]

In August 2013, Grindr released an updated version of the app requiring users to verify their accounts by providing a valid email address. Grindr says this was done to reduce spam and improve portability. Critics argued it stripped the app of its anonymity.[23]

On September 30, 2013, Grindr introduced Grindr Tribes, allowing users to identify themselves with a niche group and filter their searches to better find their type. Grindr Tribes include: Bear, Clean-Cut, Daddy, Discreet, Geek, Jock, Leather, Otter, Poz, Rugged, Trans, and Twink. In addition to Tribes, Grindr users could now filter by Looking For.[24]

As of Grindr's fifth anniversary on March 25, 2014, the app was averaging more than 5 million active monthly users worldwide.[25]

After acquisition (2016–2019)

[edit]

In January 2016, Grindr announced that it had sold a 60% stake in the company for $93 million to a Chinese video game development firm, Kunlun Tech Co Ltd (formerly Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd).[26][27][28] In January 2018, Kunlun purchased the remainder of the company for $152 million.[29]

In March 2018, Grindr introduced a new feature that, if opted into, sends the user a reminder every three to six months to get an HIV test.[30]

In August 2018, the Kunlun executive board granted permission for an initial public offering for Grindr.[29] In March 2019, Kunlun started seeking for a buyer of Grindr after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) had informed Kunlun that having the app owned by a Chinese company posed a national security risk.[31] This also led Kunlun to halt its plans for an IPO for Grindr.[32]

In July 2019, Grindr released Grindr Unlimited, a new premium version of the app that allows subscribers to unsend messages, go Incognito, see unlimited profiles in the cascade, see who has viewed them, see typing status, and use all the premium features of Grindr XTRA.[33] In November 2019, Grindr launched Grindr Web, a free desktop version of the app built for users who prefer to chat from their computer or laptop. Designed for "quick and discreet" chat while at the office, it employs a generic email interface and mimics computer file folders in place of user profiles.[34] This service has since been made a feature of the paid version, Grindr Unlimited.

Divesture and public listing (2020–present)

[edit]

In March 2020, Kunlun announced that it would sell its 98.59% stake in Grindr to U.S.-based San Vicente Acquisition LLC for $608.5 million.[35] Grindr's senior management and core employees would continue to hold 1.41% of the company's shares after the transaction.[36] Towards the end of the same year, Grindr was reported to have about 13 million monthly users.[37]

Grindr announced it will go public via SPAC in May 2022.[38] This came to fruition in November 2022, when Grindr went public on the New York Stock Exchange.[39]

In May 2023, Grindr relaunched Grindr Web limited only to XTRA and Unlimited subscribers. In August 2023, Grindr mandated that all remote workers—including workers that were specifically hired with a "remote worker" designation—relocate to hub cities in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington D.C., providing workers with only two weeks advance notice to comply. By September 2023, 46% of Grindr's 178 workers either quit or were terminated due to non-compliance with the company's return to in-office work policy, in a damaging blow to employee retention. The Communications Workers of America (CWA) protested that the mandate was in response to employees' effort organize a union, and in response, they filed two lawsuits alleging unfair labor practices with the US National Labor Relations Board.[40][41]

Original content

[edit]

Into

[edit]

In August 2017, Grindr launched its own in-house digital magazine, Into, which focuses on queer media and culture.[42][43] It has been noted for publishing an article in November 2018, criticizing Grindr president Scott Chen for comments he made on marriage equality that have been characterized as homophobic.[42][43] In January 2019, Grindr laid off the editorial staff of Into, citing a desire to "[shift] our focus to video content".[42]

Into was revived in May 2021 by LGBTQ digital media company Q.Digital.[44]

Bridesman

[edit]

In March 2021, it was announced that Grindr was stepping into the "original scripted content space" with a debut web series titled Bridesman.[45] The series, created by John Onieal and directed by Julian Buchanan, went into production the same month and made its world premiere at the Outfest Film Festival on August 14, 2021.[46] The series consists of six episodes[47] and stars Jimmy Fowlie, Sydnee Washington and Shanon DeVido.[45] The show was co-written by John Onieal and Frank Spiro, and produced by Jeremy Truong and Katie White under Truong's company rubbertape.[45]

Who's The Asshole?

[edit]

In 2024, Grindr launched "Who's The Asshole?", a podcast hosted by drag queen Katya Zamolodchikova. Season 1 guests included Orville Peck, Jordan Firstman, Trace Lysette and Saucy Santana.[48] Season 2 guests included Adam Lambert, Cosmo Lombino, Gottmik, Bowen Yang, Brandon Kyle Goodman and Evan Ross Katz.[49]

Host or Travel

[edit]

In 2024, Grindr launched its "Host or Travel" online travel series, which explores gayborhoods around the world.[50]

Locations have included:

Grindr for Equality

[edit]

In February 2012, Grindr formed Grindr for Equality (G4E), a geotargeted political service designed to raise awareness of LGBT equality issues. Ahead of the 2012 U.S. elections, it encouraged users to register to vote and provided information about pro-LGBT candidates in their areas.[51]

G4E has since evolved into an international LGBTQ health and human rights program. In November 2019, it granted a total of $100,000 to organizations and activists providing direct services and advocacy to the LGBTQ communities in the Middle East and North Africa.[52]

Censorship

[edit]
  No Grindr safety measures or government restrictions were taken
  Only Grindr safety measures were taken
  Government restrictions were enforced (can be bypassed with VPN)
  Unavailable due to government bans or US government sanctions
  No data

Grindr is not available in the following territories due to government bans or US government sanctions: Iran, Crimea, Syria, Pakistan, Cuba, North Korea and Sudan.[53][54] Furthermore, there are also restrictions in whole or in part in these countries: China, Indonesia, Turkey, Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.[53]

In December 2019, Grindr took measures to protect users in countries in which they may be at risk for being LGBT, unveiling new security features for them and automatically disabling their distance feature.[55][56]

Criticism

[edit]

Offensive speech and actions

[edit]

Grindr has been criticized for not taking sufficient action to moderate the display of offensive, racist, and homophobic language by some of its users.[57] In June 2014, when asked about hateful speech on Grindr, the app's creator Joel Simkhai said in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that he "didn't like it" but he "[isn't] a sixth grade teacher" and it "[isn't his] job to police such things."[58]

The app was criticized in the past for allowing users to sort users by ethnicity, which some thought was discriminatory. This was removed in June 2020, following social media complaints.[59][60][61]

Drug dealing

[edit]

It has also found applications in drug dealing prompting the app developer to take actions on some emojis.[62][63]

User location triangulation

[edit]

In August 2014, it was reported that Grindr's relative distance measurements could facilitate triangulation, thereby pinpointing individual users' near-exact location.[64] A proof of concept was published, and more than 2 million detections were performed within a few days.[65] Authorities in Egypt allegedly used the app to track and arrest gay men.[66][67] Grindr responded by temporarily disabling distance display globally.[68]

In May 2016, a group of computer scientists from Kyoto University demonstrated how location pinpointing is still possible in the app even when a user is hiding their distance from public display.[69] By exploiting a novel attack model called colluding-trilateration, locating any targeted user becomes a very easy and cheap task without employing any special hacking technique. The attack model works with any location-based service app that shows profiles of nearby users in order of proximity, not just Grindr.[70]

In May 2022, it was reported that Grindr's user location data has been collected and sold through a digital advertising network since 2017, before Grindr curtailed data sharing with its advertising partners in 2020. Historical data from this period may still be obtainable.[71]

User data privacy

[edit]

In April 2018, a Norwegian non-profit research organization reported that Grindr's data bundles sold to third-party companies could potentially contain users' sensitive personal information such as HIV status and HIV testing dates. The discovery generated widespread scrutiny of Grindr's privacy practices. In response, Grindr released a statement stating "Grindr has never sold, nor will we ever sell, personally identifiable user information – especially information regarding HIV status or last test date – to third parties or advertisers. As an industry standard practice, Grindr does work with highly-regarded [software] vendors to test and optimize our platform. These vendors are under strict contractual terms that provide for the highest level of confidentiality, data security, and user privacy."[72][73][74]

On January 14, 2020, a report was published by the Norwegian Consumer Council which alleged that Grindr had violated the European Union's General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR) rules. The council asserted that Grindr has sent user data to at least 135 advertisers.[75][76] The main concerns of the allegations were for sharing personal information, including users' locations and information about their device. These details could potentially indicate the sexual orientation of a user without their consent.[77] After review from the Norwegian Data protection Authority, it was ruled that Grindr was in violation of the GDPR and fined €10 million.[78]

In October 2020, a security researcher discovered a vulnerability in the password reset process. Anyone was able to take over an account using only the email address.[79]

In April 2024, Grindr was the subject of a lawsuit lodged at the High Court in London for mishandling user data, including the use of "covert tracking technology" and sharing sensitive user data – including HIV status – with third party analytics companies.[80][81]

Risk to minors

[edit]

Research has estimated that half of sexually active gay and bisexual adolescents use applications like Grindr.[82] Grindr does not verify the age of users, nor are they required to under US law, due to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.[83]

[edit]

The Communications Workers of America (CWA) filed two lawsuits alleging unfair labor practices with the US National Labor Relations Board.[41]

[edit]

Television

[edit]

Talk shows

[edit]

On June 28, 2009 (three months after Grindr's launch), British actor and techie Stephen Fry appeared on the BBC motoring program Top Gear and enthusiastically explained Grindr's intricacies to host Jeremy Clarkson and tried to find another Grindr user in the studio audience. Grindr founder Joel Simkhai later told a media outlet, "The impact [of Stephen Fry's mention] was instant. We had about 10,000 downloads overnight, increasing our base by 50 percent. Within a week we were up to 40,000. Someone once asked me if we paid Stephen Fry to mention us, but we didn't. Apparently one of the guys he works with is gay and showed it to him the week of his appearance."[84] London became Grindr's most active city in the world, and was so until at least late 2012.[85] In February 2013, journalist Jaime Woo called the Top Gear mention one of Grindr's warmest mentions in the media.[86]

In a July 2015 interview, American actor Rob Lowe was asked if he was concerned that people would confuse his upcoming leading role in the legal comedy television series The Grinder for being on the app Grindr. Lowe answered, "It could be a good thing! I'm very current. I'm culturally significant. I could be on the Grindr app."[87]

In November 2015, Lowe appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and advertised the Grindr app as "a neat networking app that lets guys who like watching The Grinder meet with other guys in their area who also like watching The Grinder, so they can meet up to watch The Grinder together!" He explained, "You just open the app and scroll through hundreds of men nearby who share your passion for bold network comedy." Lowe quickly found a match in the app and proclaimed "Oh this guy's DTF. So am I! Definite Television Fan," he clarifies. When his new acquaintance arrives in a leather vest and leather shorts, carrying lubricant and a banana, it becomes clear that the two had very different intentions for their evening together. "So," Lowe says, "if you like The Grinder, download the app today, and you, too, can make a new friend."[88]

Scripted shows

[edit]

In the March 21, 2013, episode of American musical television series Glee titled "Guilty Pleasures," main character Santana mentions Grindr to lead character Kurt after he says he ordered a "boyfriend pillow" online.[89][90]

In January 2014, HBO debuted Looking, an American comedy-drama television series that followed the professional and personal lives of three openly gay close friends living in San Francisco, California. The series name is based on a term that originated in online platforms like Grindr to state or ask whether one is cruising for a hookup. Grindr was commonly referenced in the series, which ran for two seasons until its finale on March 22, 2015. In September 2019, The Guardian ranked Looking among the "100 Greatest TV shows of the 21st century".[91]

In the October 23, 2014, episode of American legal thriller television series How to Get Away with Murder, main character Connor (an openly gay intern at a high-profile law firm) uses a gay hookup app called "Humpr" (a sly reference to real-life Grindr) to goad a juror to admit that he is pro-cop in order to get him removed from the jury of a case he is trying.[92]

Also in Europe, Grindr has been a pop-cultural reference point: in 2015 on the Danish series Rita, the title character invites her son to speak at her high school about being gay, and in response to a question about how he knows who he can hit on, the 18-year-old says: “Well, you can always [just] give it a try. Or you can try to find someone on Grindr,” before taking out his phone to explain the app to the classroom. In 2016, the Norwegian series Skam began its third season with Isak coming out and downloading Grindr, on which he becomes quickly overwhelmed.[93]

In October 2016, two separate episodes of How to Get Away with Murder reference Grindr. Connor, the series' openly gay main character, offers a piercing critique of the racism, body shaming, and anti-femme rhetoric prevalent on "Humpr," the show's stand-in for Grindr.[94] In the next episode, Connor has thrown himself fully into Humpr, which he uses shamelessly in his boyfriend's presence.[95] While his colleagues investigate a case they're working on, Connor leaves to go meet two young men for a hookup. He checks both their IDs to confirm they are of legal age before having sex.[96]

In the October 26, 2017, episode of How to Get Away with Murder, Connor turns to Humpr to look for a hookup after his boyfriend lets him down by having to stay at work overtime.[97] Journalist Anthony Gilét wrote of the scene, "After dropping out of law school, losing his job, being disowned by his father for his same-sex relationship, and now feeling disappointment after having to scrap the romantic date he carefully set up for his love, Connor's naturally feeling a little lost—before turning to that accessible little app on his phone. This not only demonstrates how instantaneous sex can be another form of self-destruction, but how we use sex as a coping mechanism, (and effectively, how easy it is to cheat on your boyfriend after a minor dispute)." The Humpr interface is shown on-screen and looks nearly identical to Grindr's. Connor chats with a man on the app about the size of his penis, and minutes later they meet up for sex.[98]

In the October 25, 2017 episode of American teen drama television series Riverdale, openly gay main character Kevin is caught cruising for sex in the woods by two of his friends, Betty and Moose. Betty screams at him that he should have "more respect" for himself, shaming him for his risky lifestyle choices. Kevin yells back, "You act like we've got the same set of options!" and complains that he does not have a way to express his sexual desires. Betty asks, "Can't you just use Grind'em like every other gay guy?" (referencing the real-life Grindr app), and Kevin answers that he hates using Grind'em because people never look the same in person as they do online.[99] Moose, the school's popular hot jock and closeted bisexual who used to hook up with Kevin, sounds off: "Guys like us, in a town like Riverdale, we don't have a lot of options. So, even if something bad could happen, we go for it. Because what if, for 10 minutes, or maybe even just for two minutes, we're not alone?" Journalist Anthony Gilét called the scene "deep" and wrote, "This really highlights how a lot of men within the gay community feel. Loneliness is so unbelievably common, that it's no wonder we meet up with strangers for a brief reenactment of intimacy. And it even highlights why many of us are not as careful as we should be – especially in the height of Grindr-crime – because we're spurred by the fear of loneliness/desire for affection."[98] The scene closes with Betty resolving to snitch to Kevin's dad (the town sheriff) about Kevin's cruising, thus ending their friendship.[100]

Reality shows

[edit]

The June 30, 2014, episode of American reality court show Judge Judy involved a case between a 47-year-old plaintiff and a 23-year-old defendant who had met through Grindr. Judge Judy dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that the money given to the defendant was a gift rather than a loan.[101]

In the April 21, 2015 episode of American reality television series The Real Housewives of New York City, cast member Luann de Lesseps informs fellow cast member Ramona Singer that Singer's estranged husband is active on dating sites. Singer says it does not bother her, but asks Luann, "What's the gay site called?" Luann replies, "Grindr?" Singer then asserts, "Maybe if he was on Grindr, that would bother me."[102][103] Bravo, the TV network that airs the series, teased viewers with a clip of the exchange to entice them to tune in to the episode.[104]

In April to August 2018, a recurring storyline on the third season of American reality television series The Real Housewives of Potomac involved a cast member's husband's alleged extramarital affair with a young man on Grindr.[105][106][107]

Films

[edit]

In the November 2013, Netflix original comedy Aziz Ansari: Buried Alive, American comedian Aziz Ansari jokes about how Grindr's user-friendly design makes casual sex so accessible for gay men but employing the same mechanism for heterosexual people would make women feel too unsafe for it to work. He says Grindr "might be the most incredible technology that's come out in [his] lifetime."[108][109]

In the July 2015, American romantic comedy film Trainwreck directed by Judd Apatow and written by Amy Schumer, actor John Cena plays a closeted bisexual character who mentions his use of Grindr when he gets into a verbal altercation with a man in a movie theater. After shouting several comedic gay innuendos at the man, Cena yells, "Fuck you, Tone Loc! You wanna take it to the parking lot? Fine! If you can't find me, I'll be the closest one on Grindr!" and then storms out of the theater.[110]

In the February 2019, American romantic comedy film What Men Want directed by Adam Shankman, actress Taraji P. Henson plays a character who accidentally gains the psychic power to hear men's inner thoughts. Working as the only woman at an otherwise all-male sports marketing company, she especially wields her new power to help advance her career. In one scene, one of her stereotypical "manly man" coworkers debates whether to join Tinder or Grindr.[111]

Music

[edit]

American singer Madonna partnered with Grindr to promote her thirteenth studio album Rebel Heart in 2015. A contest was held, and five of the app's users were selected for an exclusive interview with the artist. The contest required re-creating the artwork for Rebel Heart and posting it as a Grindr profile picture. Other winners received signed copies of the album.[112] Joe Stone from The Guardian considered this a "savvy" promotional method, allowing Madonna to connect directly with her gay audience.[113]

Books

[edit]

Several books have been published focusing on a variety of topics concerning Grindr; these include the influence of the app on society and how to navigate and use the app.[114][115][116]

Sport

[edit]

Grindr is the official sponsor of French Top 14 rugby club Biarritz Olympique.

In 2022, Grindr became the sponsor for Travis Shumake, the first ever openly gay man to compete in a National Hot Rod Association drag racing competition.[117]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "About us". Grindr. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  2. ^ Wang, Haidong; Zhang, Lu; Zhou, Ying; Wang, Keke; Zhang, Xiaoya; Wu, Jianhui; Wang, Guoli (October 16, 2018). "The use of geosocial networking smartphone applications and the risk of sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men: a systematic review and meta-analysis". BMC Public Health. 18 (1): 1178. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-6092-3. ISSN 1471-2458. PMC 6192100. PMID 30326887. S2CID 53027082.
  3. ^ Horvat, Srećko (2016), The Radicality of Love, Wiley, p. 24, ISBN 978-0-7456-9117-6, the largest and most popular all-male location-based social network
  4. ^ "The Co-Founder Behind Gay Social App Grindr Opens Up About Success, Sanity and Happiness". April 1, 2014. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  5. ^ "CEO OF GRINDR ON THE POWER OF SIMPLICITY AND BECOMING AN UNINTENTIONAL ACTIVIST". January 24, 2014. Archived from the original on April 22, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  6. ^ "Grindr". Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  7. ^ Kincaid, Jason (March 25, 2009). "Gay Dating Makes Its Way To The iPhone". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on September 25, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  8. ^ a b LaVallee, Andrew (August 17, 2009). "App Watch: Grindr Says It's More Than a Hook-Up Service". The Wall Street Journal. News Corp. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  9. ^ "Cruise Local Guys On Your iPhone". Queerty. March 26, 2009. Archived from the original on September 18, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  10. ^ "Q: Location? A: Right Behind You, Dude". Joemygod.blogspot.com. March 26, 2009. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  11. ^ a b "GRINDR Adds More Guys With New App for Blackberry". South Florida Gay News. March 25, 2010. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  12. ^ "Grindr Named 'Best Mobile Dating Site' at 2011 iDate Awards". Grindr. January 24, 2011. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  13. ^ Van Grove, Jennifer (March 7, 2011). "Popular Gay Dating App Grindr Now on Android". Mashable. Archived from the original on February 18, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  14. ^ Kapp, Matt (May 27, 2011). "Grindr: Welcome to the World's Biggest, Scariest Gay Bar". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 14, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  15. ^ Allen, Danny (January 20, 2012). "Some Sydney Grindr Accounts Reportedly Hacked". Gizmodo Australia. Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  16. ^ "Crunchies 2011 – San Francisco – January 31, 2012". TechCrunch. January 31, 2012. Archived from the original on June 25, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  17. ^ "Grindr Recognized as Winner of TechCrunch Crunchies Awards and 2012 iDate Awards". PR Newswire. Cision. February 1, 2012. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  18. ^ "2012 Social (Handheld Devices) winners". Webby Awards. International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on May 27, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  19. ^ "16TH ANNUAL WEBBY AWARDS OFFICIAL HONOREE SELECTIONS: Mobile". Webby Awards. International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on December 5, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  20. ^ Carmody, Sarah. "Grindr's Global Dominance Hits 2m". bent News. bent. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  21. ^ Mudie, Keir (July 22, 2012). "Gay app Grindr crashes as Olympic athletes arrive in London". The People. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  22. ^ Abad-Santos, Alexander (July 23, 2012). "No, Olympic Athletes Didn't Crash Grindr". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  23. ^ Newton, Casey (July 26, 2013). "Overrun by spambots, gay dating app Grindr to end anonymous signups". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on January 1, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  24. ^ "The New Grindr: Zero Feet Away". PR Newswire. Cision. September 30, 2013. Archived from the original on April 1, 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  25. ^ "Happy Fifth Birthday, Grindr!". PR Newswire. Cision. March 25, 2014. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  26. ^ Russell, Jon (January 11, 2016). "Chinese Gaming Firm Buys 60% Of Gay Dating App Grindr For $93M". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on May 9, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  27. ^ Isaac, Mike (January 12, 2016). "Grindr Sells Stake to Chinese Company". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  28. ^ "Kunlun Tech Co Ltd 300418.SZ". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  29. ^ a b Morrison, Caitlin (August 30, 2018). "Grindr planning stock market listing as Chinese owner gives approval for float". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  30. ^ McNeil, Donald G. Jr. (March 26, 2018). "Grindr App to Offer H.I.V. Test Reminders". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 27, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  31. ^ "Exclusive: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell..." Reuters. March 27, 2019. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  32. ^ "Exclusive: Told U.S. security at risk, Chinese firm seeks to sell Grindr dating app". Reuters. March 27, 2019. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
  33. ^ Street, Mikelle (July 25, 2019). "Now You Can Pay $50 Per Month for Grindr". Out Magazine. Archived from the original on July 5, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  34. ^ Milton, Josh (May 5, 2020). "Stop the clocks, cut off the telephone, because you can now get Grindr on your desktop". PinkNews. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  35. ^ Oguh, Echo Wang (March 6, 2020). "Grindr's Chinese owner says to sell social media app for $608 mln". Reuters. Archived from the original on May 6, 2020. Retrieved May 9, 2020 – via www.reuters.com.
  36. ^ "Grindr is being sold by Chinese owner after U.S. raises national security concerns". Los Angeles Times. March 6, 2020. Archived from the original on April 3, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  37. ^ "Grindr Unwrapped: a Snapshot of Sex & Dating on Grindr in 2020". Grindr. December 18, 2020. Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  38. ^ Grothaus, Michael (May 10, 2022). "Grindr goes public: What to know about the gay, bi, trans, and queer dating app's planned SPAC". Fast Company. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  39. ^ Kilgore, Tomi. "Grindr stock rockets more than 100% after trading starts under new 'GRND' ticker". MarketWatch. Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  40. ^ "Grindr fired half of its staff over office mandate". Fortune. September 8, 2023. Archived from the original on September 8, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  41. ^ a b "Grindr's Return to Office Ultimatum Has Gutted a Uniquely Queer Space". Wired. September 6, 2023. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  42. ^ a b c Brammer, John Paul (January 23, 2019). "The Lesson of Into". Slate. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  43. ^ a b Ifeanyi, KC (November 1, 2022). "Can the founder of Grindr make a better Grindr?". Fast Company. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  44. ^ "Q.Digital Announces Relaunch of IntoMore.com". May 5, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  45. ^ a b c Ramos, Dino-Ray (March 2, 2021). "Grindr Sets First Original Scripted Series 'Bridesman'". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  46. ^ Fallon, Kevin (August 10, 2021). "Inside Grindr's First Original TV Series". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on January 9, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  47. ^ "Grindr's First Scripted Series 'Bridesman' Is Messy, Sexy, Gay Fun". www.pride.com. August 17, 2021. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  48. ^ "Grindr Presents: "Who's The Asshole?," A New Sex-Positive Podcast Hosted by Katya". Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  49. ^ "Butt Wait, There's More—Grindr Presents: 'Who's The Asshole?' Season 2, Hosted by Katya". Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  50. ^ Tabitha Britt (September 13, 2024). "Grindr's 'Host or Travel' show helps you explore different 'gayborhoods'". Mashable. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  51. ^ Snow, Justin (October 22, 2012). "Grindr's Political Bedfellows". Metro Weekly. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  52. ^ "Grindr for Equality Announces Middle East-North Africa Grant Winners". PR Newswire. Cision. November 21, 2019. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  53. ^ a b "Censored countries & regions". Grindr. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  54. ^ "PROXY STATEMENT FOR EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF TIGA ACQUISITION CORP. (A CAYMAN ISLANDS EXEMPTED COMPANY)". Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  55. ^ "Grindr announces new rollout of safety features in countries where bigotry and hate puts users at risk". PinkNews. December 12, 2019. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  56. ^ "Grindr Holistic Security Guide" (PDF). Grindr for Equality. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  57. ^ Woo, Jamie (June 28, 2013). "Open Letter to Grindr Users: I Am Not Rice, He Is Not Curry". HuffPost. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  58. ^ Halutz, Doron (June 26, 2014). "Israeli founder of Grindr talks about growing up gay and coming out to his family". Haaretz. Archived from the original on September 18, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  59. ^ "Grindr removes 'ethnicity filter' after complaints". BBC News. June 1, 2020. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  60. ^ Woodyatt, Amy (June 3, 2020). "Grindr says it's removing its 'ethnicity filter' in support of Black Lives Matter". CNN Business. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  61. ^ Hern, Alex (June 2, 2020). "Grindr dating app removes ethnicity filter to support Black Lives Matter". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  62. ^ "'Swipe left for meth': Florida officials using dating apps to try to find drug dealers". NBC News. January 29, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  63. ^ "WeHo Public Safety Commission to Consider Ban on Sale of Meth Pipes". WEHOonline.com. November 15, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  64. ^ Avari, Jamshed (August 20, 2014). "Alleged Grindr Security Flaw Exposes Exact Location Data, Endangers Users". Gadgets 360. NDTV. Archived from the original on September 16, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  65. ^ "GrindrMap". Archived from the original on September 18, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  66. ^ Culzac, Natasha (September 17, 2014). "Egypt's police 'using social media and apps like Grindr to trap gay people'". The Independent. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  67. ^ Sheils, Conor (September 1, 2014). "Egyptian Cops Using Grindr To Hunt Gays". Cairo Scene. Archived from the original on July 4, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  68. ^ Aravosis, John (September 3, 2014). "Gay smartphone app Grindr permanently disables "distance" option". AMERICAblog News. Archived from the original on July 4, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  69. ^ Greenberg, Andy (May 20, 2016). "Gay Dating Apps Promise Privacy, But Leak Your Exact Location". WIRED Magazine. Archived from the original on April 3, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  70. ^ Hoang, Nguyen Phong; Asano, Yasuhito; Yoshikawa, Masatoshi (April 2016). "Your neighbors are my spies: Location and other privacy concerns in GLBT-focused location-based dating applications". ICACT Transactions on Advanced Communications Technology. 5 (3): 851–860. arXiv:1604.08235. doi:10.23919/ICACT.2017.7890236. S2CID 63563036. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  71. ^ Tau, Byron; Wells, Georgia (May 2, 2022). "Grindr User Data Was Sold Through Ad Networks". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on May 4, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  72. ^ Ghorayshi, Azeen; Ray, Sri (April 2, 2018). "Grindr Is Sharing The HIV Status Of Its Users With Other Companies". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  73. ^ Coldewey, Devin (April 2, 2018). "Grindr sends HIV status to third parties, and some personal data unencrypted". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  74. ^ Wang, Echo; O'Donnell, Carl (May 22, 2019). "Exclusive: Behind Grindr's doomed hookup in China, a data misstep and scramble to make up". Reuters. Archived from the original on May 16, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  75. ^ Burns, Janet. "Data-Sharing By Twitter, Grindr, Tinder And Others 'Out Of Control,' Norwegian Council Says". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  76. ^ "OUT OF CONTROL" (PDF). Forbrukerradet. January 14, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  77. ^ Peters, Jay (January 25, 2021). "Grindr fined $11.7 million for illegally sharing private user information with advertisers". The Verge. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  78. ^ "Norway to fine Grindr €10M over GDPR violations". POLITICO. January 26, 2021. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  79. ^ Bouimadaghene, Wassime; Hunt, Troy (October 3, 2020). "Hacking Grindr Accounts with Copy and Paste". Archived from the original on October 4, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  80. ^ "Grindr facing UK data lawsuit for allegedly sharing users' HIV status". Reuters. April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  81. ^ Singleton, Tom; Rahman-Jones, Imran (April 22, 2024). "Grindr sued for allegedly revealing users' HIV status". BBC News. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  82. ^ "How Grindr, A Popular Gay Dating App, Poses Exploitation Risk To Minors". NPR.org. Archived from the original on February 24, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  83. ^ "Unseen, Part 3: Popular Gay Dating App Grindr Poses Exploitation Risk to Minors". July 12, 2021. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  84. ^ Watts, Lawrence (February 22, 2011). "Feature: The Grindr story". PinkNews. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  85. ^ Park, James (July 22, 2012). "Tabloid claims global Grindr outage caused by overactive Olympic athletes". PinkNews. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  86. ^ Woo, Jaime (February 8, 2013). "Welcome to the Grindr Era". Meet Grindr: How One App Changed the Way We Connect. Lulu.com. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-9918702-0-2. The Top Gear mention was one of the first for Grindr in the media and one of the warmest.
  87. ^ Crossan, Ashley (July 15, 2015). "'The Grinder' Star Rob Lowe Responds to Fans Thinking He's on Grindr". Entertainment Tonight. CBS. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  88. ^ Bacardi, Francesca (November 12, 2015). "Watch Rob Lowe's Accidental Grindr Ad for His Show The Grinder". E! Online. NBCUniversal. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  89. ^ Votta, Rae (March 22, 2013). "How Gay Was 'Glee': Guilty Pleasures". NewNowNext. Logo. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  90. ^ Fisher, Natalie (March 23, 2013). "'Glee' recap: 4x17 'Guilty Pleasures'". Hypable. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  91. ^ Abbott, Kate; Davies, Hannah J.; Mumford, Gwilym; Seale, Jack; Harrison, Phil (September 16, 2019). "The 100 best TV shows of the 21st century". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  92. ^ Peacock, William (October 24, 2014). "'How To Get Away With Murder' Review: Season 1, Episode 5". FindLaw. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  93. ^ Shield, Andrew DJ (November 7, 2019). Immigrants on Grindr: Race, Sexuality and Belonging Online. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019, p.30. ISBN 978-3-030-30394-5.
  94. ^ Upadhyaya, Kayla Kumari (October 7, 2016). "HTGAWM smacks a client in the face, but the episode could've hit harder". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  95. ^ Ciammaichelli, Christina (October 17, 2016). "How to Get Away With Murder recap: Annalise Yells At Everybody". Entertainment Weekly. Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  96. ^ Barthwell, Ali (October 14, 2016). "How to Get Away With Murder Recap: Anna and Eve". New York Magazine. Vox Media. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  97. ^ Lenker, Meredith Lee (October 27, 2017). "How to Get Away With Murder recap: 'I Love Her'". Entertainment Weekly. Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  98. ^ a b Gilét, Anthony (November 4, 2017). "'How To Get Away With Murder', 'Riverdale' Address Grindr-Obsession within the Gay Community". Cocktailsandcocktalk. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  99. '^ McHenry, Jackson (October 25, 2017). "Riverdales Cruising Story Line Finally Gives Kevin Keller Something to Do". New York Magazine. Vox Media. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  100. ^ Romero, Ariana (October 26, 2017). "This Riverdale Plot Line Highlights A Huge Problem With The Town". Refinery29. Vice Media. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  101. ^ Jones, Nate (July 1, 2014). "Judge Judy Discovered Grindr on a Case That Aired This Week". People Magazine. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  102. ^ "Real Housewives of New York Recap: Battle of the Brunches". Tamara Tattles. April 22, 2015. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  103. ^ Veena (April 22, 2015). "Real Housewives of New York City "Battle of the Brunches"". Lynn's Place. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  104. ^ "#RHONY Spoiler Alert: Sexy J Strikes Again". Bravo TV. NBCUniversal. April 20, 2015. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  105. ^ "Ashley Darby's Husband's Alleged Gay Affair Exposed". Good Tea. April 6, 2018. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  106. ^ Barthwell, Ali (May 14, 2018). "The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: Free Uncle Ben". New York Magazine. Vox Media. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020. Karen throws the rumors about Michael in Ashley's face.
  107. ^ Barthwell, Ali (August 20, 2018). "The Real Housewives of Potomac Recap: What Does a Masseuse Do?". New York Magazine. Vox Media. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020. Karen refuses to apologize for saying she saw pictures of Michael on Grindr. Michael pulls out his passport and says to look for the stamp from England if [the rumors are] true.
  108. ^ Miller, Julie (November 11, 2013). "Aziz Ansari on His Comedy Special Buried Alive, Romantic Relationships, and Getting Intimate with an Audience". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  109. ^ "Aziz Ansari- Grindr App". Dailymotion. February 27, 2015. Archived from the original on June 19, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  110. ^ "Trainwreck (2015): John Cena". IMDb. Amazon. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  111. ^ Howard, Katie (March 20, 2019). ""What Men Want" utilizes comedy to reveal real gender bias problems in the workplace". Inklings News. Archived from the original on July 8, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  112. ^ Blistein, Jon (February 12, 2015). "Madonna Turns to Grindr for 'Rebel Heart' Contest". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  113. ^ Stone, Joe (February 12, 2015). "Why Madonna's Grindr contest is a savvy appeal to the 'pink pound'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  114. ^ Woo, Jaime (2013). Meet Grindr : how one app changed the way we connect. [Canada]. ISBN 978-0-9918702-0-2. OCLC 858604180.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  115. ^ "Grindr Survivr". www.goodreads.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  116. ^ "Immigrants on Grindr by Andrew DJ Shield | Waterstones". www.waterstones.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  117. ^ "Meet Travis Shumake, the Grindr-Sponsored First Out Gay Pro Drag Racer". August 17, 2022. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grindr&oldid=1255422834"