TORRENT FREAK – Oct 16 – The creator of controversial third-party Grindr app 'Fuckr' has withdrawn his opposition to a Grindr copyright complaint. Grindr filed a DMCA takedown notice with Github in September, stating that Fuckr infringes Grindr's intellectual property rights. However, after initially filing a counter-notice to have his software reinstated, Fuckr's creator has now backed away, fearing a prolonged copyright battle. Released back in 2015, the Fuckr desktop app provides controversial enhanced access to Grindr. Fuckr also gives Grindr users the ability to precisely locate hundreds of other users while revealing usually hidden information such as photos, HIV status, and even preferred sexual positions.
Category: Grindr
Adultery Decriminalized In India
INDIA TIMES – Oct 2 – Buoyed by recent Supreme Court judgements that decriminalized adultery and consensual same sex relations, extramarital dating apps are now betting big on the India growth story. Extramarital dating app Gleeden, Grindr, and matchmaking app Wingman expect significant growth in the country. Gleeden already has ~340K users in the country, up from 120K last year. Its three biggest markets are Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru with Mumbai alone having 85K users.
by Anumeha Chatuverdi
See full article at India Times
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Racism On Dating Apps
THE GUARDIAN – Sep 29 – Sinakhone Keodara is considering suing Grindr for racial discrimination after he received a three-word response on Grindr: "Asian, ew gross." "Over the years I've had some pretty harrowing experiences," says Keodara. "You run across these profiles that say 'no Asians' or 'I'm not attracted to Asians'. Seeing that all the time is grating; it affects your self-esteem." It's important that dating apps take a stand on intolerant behaviour. Bumble's Louise Troen acknowledges the problem, saying: "The online space is complicated, and people can say things they wouldn't say in a bar because of the potential ramifications." Earlier this month, Grindr announced a "zero-tolerance" policy on racism and discrimination, threatening to ban users who use racist language. The app is also considering the removal of options that allow users to filter potential dates by race.
by Chris Stokel-Walker
See full article at Yahoo Finance
Grindr Will Now Have To Sue Fuckr To Keep Controversial Tool Down
TORRENTFREAK – Sep 30 – Grindr recently filed a DMCA notice to have the allegedly-infringing Fuckr desktop application taken down from Github. The creator of Fuckr has contested Grindr's copyright claim, meaning that Grindr will now have to sue to stop it reappearing. Released back in 2015, the desktop application provides enhanced access to Grindr. However, the extra features offered by the software are controversial. It gives users the ability to precisely locate hundreds of Grindr users to an accuracy of just a few feet. In addition, Fuckr offers access to a trove of information about Grindr users not freely available, including photos, HIV status, and even their preferred sexual position. Early September, following an exposé by Queer Europe, Grindr decided to end Fuckr's party. The company filed a DMCA notice with Github, where the application's code was hosted. This resulted in Fuckr being taken down. But Grindr is still battling availability of the software.
A third-party App Can Use Grindr To Expose Users’ Exact Locations
Grindr Is Introducing Kindr To Fight Racism
GQ – Sep 11 – Grindr is launching its first anti-bullying initiative this month, called Kindr. The specifics around Kindr are still opaque but Landen Zumwalt, head of communications at Grindr, promises a concerted effort to better police the app’s racism and harmful behavior. How users are reported and dealt with will become stronger.
Grindr IPO Plans Shine Light On China LGBT Acceptance
BUSINESS TIMES – Sep 7 – Grindr is planning an IPO overseas. Grindr owner, Beijing Kunlun Technology, did not publicize where or when the IPO will take place. The LGBT community continues to thrive in China. Rela is one of the most popular social networking platforms that cater to the LGBT community in China. During its peak, the platform had ~5M registered users. Blued, the country's second-largest social network for the LGBT community claims to have 27M registered users. Based on the latest data, the Chinese LGBT population currently stands between 70M to 90M. The Chinese LGBT community has an annual purchasing power that stands at a massive $938B in 2017 alone.
by Vera Dee
See full article at Business Times
Grindr To Go Public
BBC – Aug 29 – Gay dating app Grindr is going to list its shares on international stock exchanges, under a plan submitted by its Chinese parent company Kunlun Group. Kunlun Group's board said that going public would "strengthen" Grindr's competitiveness and help the business continue to develop. The Chinese tech firm originally bought a 61.5% stake in 2016 from the company's US founders. It then took full control in January.
This post also appears on InternetDatingInvestments.
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