PR NEWSWIRE – Baoli Ma, the founder, chairman, and CEO of BlueCity, a world-leading LGBTQ platform, has been named in the premiere edition of the Gaingels 100, an inspiring collection of LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs from around the world. He is the only mainland Chinese entrepreneur to be selected by Gaingels.
Category: All Gay
China Bans Grindr Citing National Law on Security
OPINDIA – Grindr started disappearing from several app stores available in China after its cyberspace authority launched an internet clean-up campaign to ensure a "healthy, festive and auspicious online environment".
Grindr Disappears From China App Stores
FRANCE24 – Gay dating app Grindr has disappeared from multiple app stores in China as authorities tighten control of the country's already heavily policed internet. Although China decriminalised homosexuality in 1997, same-sex marriage is illegal and LGBTQ issues remain taboo. Local Grindr competitors such as Blued remain available for download.
Dating App for Queers “As You Are” Raises $250K
MONEY CONTROL – 'As You Are', an Indian social networking and matchmaking app, has raised $250K in Compulsorily Convertible Debentures (CCDs), from queer couples who are angel investors and also Indian-origin entrepreneurs from the marketing space. AYA launched in June 2020 and has ~25K downloads.
by Mansi Verma
See full article at Money Control
See the top news on As You Are
This post also appears on InternetDatingInvestments.com
China’s NewBorn Town to Set up $100M Fund to Privatise Blued
DEALSTREETASIA – Chinese social media firm NewBorn Town is planning to set up a $100M fund with an aim to privatise BlueCity Holdings, the operator of Blued, the country's biggest LGBTQ dating app. BlueCity's founder, chairman, and CEO Baoli Ma currently holds a 30.4% stake in the firm, which means that the buyer group will need to purchase the remaining 69.6% stake, or ~25.9M ADSs, for ~$48M in total. BlueCity has formed an independent special committee to evaluate and consider the going-private proposal. BlueCity started trading on Nasdaq after a $85M IPO in July 2020. Blued, which serves over 60M registered users in 170 countries and regions, offers social networking, live streaming, and health-related services to the LGBTQ community.
BlueCity Receives a Buyout Proposal
GLOBE NEWSWIRE – BlueCity, a leading online LGBTQ platform, has received a preliminary non-binding proposal letter from Mr. Baoli Ma, founder & CEOof the company to acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of the company that are not already beneficially owned by the Buyer Group for a proposed purchase price of US$3.70 per Ordinary Share or US$1.85 per ADS in cash.
Shaadi.com Is Looking to Enter Into Matchmaking for LGBTQ+
BUSINESS INSIDER – One of the biggest matchmaking platforms in India, Shaadi.com, is on a hunt for new business opportunities, according to the company's founder and CEO Anupam Mittal. Shaadi wants to launch two more products. "We are planning to launch something in January, which will tilt the entire industry on its head and open up a lot of avenues for us. This is a completely new way for finding a match," Mittal said without revealing further details. Mittal also said that the company will be looking forward to entering the matchmaking arena for the LGBTQ community or people living abroad.
Blued’s New Seasonal Feature Bridges Online-Offline Gatherings
PR NEWSWIRE – Blued connects 60m+ LGBTQ people worldwide, in 13 languages, across 170 countries. 'Flash' is a new event-based feature that enables users to connect in-person by opening their offline and online activities to fellow members. Already released in South Korea and Vietnam, the feature will be available in more markets in the coming festive seasons. Blued also launched Quick Chat, a live video speed dating feature, and Voice Chat Room, a vocal message feature that enables audio communications between multiple users.
Norway Fines Grindr $7.16M Over Privacy Breach
ASSOCIATED PRESS – Norway's data privacy watchdog fined gay dating app Grindr $7.16M for sending sensitive personal data to hundreds of potential advertising partners without users' consent. In 2020, Norway's Consumer Council filed a complaint against Grindr for disclosing information about its users, including GPS locations, IP addresses, ages, gender and their use of the app, to several third parties for marketing purposes. That allowed users to be identified and third parties to potentially share personal information further.
Gay Apps Join Forces to Fight Online Insults
CALIFORNIAHEALTHLINE – Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC), an organization in the San Francisco Bay Area focused on HIV and STD prevention, has launched an effort to boost niceness on gay apps. Through surveys and focus groups, BHOC asked ~5K users of nine gay apps how the sites could support better online behavior related to race, appearance, HIV status, age, disability, gender identity and other factors. It also sought advice on technical improvements the apps could make, such as offering users greater flexibility in conducting searches for contacts. "We've had a non-bullying policy since day one," said David Lesage, marketing and social media director for Adam4Adam.
by David Tuller
See full article at California Healthline