Norwegian Court Upholds €5.5M Fine Against Grindr for Illegal Data Sharing

Posted on October 22, 2025
A smartphone displaying the Grindr logo on a yellow background, placed on a laptop keyboard.

FORBRUKERRADET – Grindr’s appeal against a 65M NOK (€5.5M) fine has been rejected by Norway’s Court of Appeal, confirming that Grindr illegally shared users’ personal data with advertisers in violation of the GDPR. The case began in 2020 after the Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC) revealed Grindr’s data-sharing with multiple commercial partners. NCC’s Director of Digital Policy, Finn Lützow-Holm Myrstad, welcomed the ruling, calling it a “strong signal” to the digital advertising industry. He urged companies to end uncontrolled data tracking and profiling, warning that misuse of such information can manipulate voters, exploit vulnerable users, and endanger minorities.

See full article at Forbrukerradet

Spencer Rascoff’s Fast-Track Strategy to Win Back Gen Z

Posted on October 21, 2025
Tinder app icon

BUSINESS INSIDER – Tinder is undergoing a major cultural and structural overhaul under Match Group’s new CEO, Spencer Rascoff, as it struggles to regain momentum with Gen Z. After years of slowing growth, just 1% in 2024 and a 7% drop in paying users, Rascoff took direct control of Tinder, flattened its hierarchy, cut staff, and pushed for smaller, faster-moving teams operating like mini start-ups. Weekly product launches replaced twice-monthly updates, and Rascoff introduced a “ship ship ship” culture focused on user outcomes rather than revenue targets. The reset centers on winning back Gen Z, who make up about 60% of Tinder’s 50M monthly users but are increasingly disenchanted with dating apps. To counter this, Tinder has launched features such as College Mode, face verification, and Double Date. The company is also using AI tools to boost user confidence rather than replace human connection. Rascoff’s strategy is to make Tinder faster, leaner, and more collaborative while shifting its image from a hookup app to one that fosters safer, more meaningful interactions.

See full article at Business Insider

Happn Survey Reveals the Mental Load Behind Modern First Dates

Posted on October 21, 2025
Logo of happn

ELLE – According to a Happn survey, first dates carry a real mental load, especially for women. 58% say the first meeting is decisive for what follows, and 48% feel anxious beforehand; 15% have postponed and 10% have canceled because of stress. Among 18–25s, 45% report intense pre-date stress, and roughly one in two young women worry about how they’ll be judged. This pressure fuels over-planning – outfits, topics, venues – which strips away spontaneity. The healthier move is to pick a familiar place, accept small imperfections, and prioritize authenticity so the date feels lighter and more natural.

See full article at Elle

Milian Technology, Live-Streaming Matchmaking Platform, Files for HK IPO

Posted on October 20, 2025
Milian Technology

36KR – China’s online dating industry is expanding rapidly, driven by ~300M single adults and a market worth over one billion yuan. Milian Technology, operator of dating apps Yidui and Tietie, has filed for a Hong Kong IPO after building a user base of ~10M through a “human matchmaker + live streaming” model that targets users outside major cities. Its approach replaces swipe-based matching with guided video sessions moderated by professional matchmakers, monetized through digital gifts and premium features.

See full article at 36Kr

Romance Fraud up 9% in the UK, FCA Urges Better Online Safeguards

Posted on October 20, 2025
Romance Fraud Up 9% in the UK, FCA Urges Better Online Safeguards

PYMNTS – Reports of romance fraud in the UK rose 9% in 2024–2025, costing victims ~106M, according to a new review by the Financial Conduct Authority. The FCA said banks, payment firms, and online platforms must step up detection and prevention, as 85% of such scams begin online. It urged greater user education, stronger anti-fraud systems, and closer cooperation between financial and digital platforms to curb losses.

See full article at PYMNTS

Grindr’s Majority Owners Move to Take the Company Private After Stock Slide

Posted on October 17, 2025
Grindr

FAST COMPANY – Grindr’s largest shareholders, Raymond Zage and James Lu, are exploring a plan to take the company private again, just four years after it went public through a SPAC merger in 2021. The move follows a recent stock drop that led a lender to seize shares tied to a personal loan. Reports say Zage and Lu are in talks with Fortress Investment Group to finance a buyout at about $15 per share, compared to Grindr’s $12.72 closing price on October 15. The two control over 60% of Grindr’s stock, prompting the board to form an independent committee to review any offer. Grindr’s shares had peaked at $24.73 in June 2025 but have since fallen, partly after a Ningi Research report accused the company of inflating user numbers. Grindr denied comment on both the buyout and the allegations. Despite the volatility, the company’s Q2 revenue rose 27% YOY, and CEO George Arison has announced plans to expand AI-driven features and telehealth services such as Woodwork, its ED medication platform.

See full article at Fast Company

The Rise of Chatfishing: When AI Takes Over Modern Dating

Posted on October 17, 2025
chatfishing

VICE – A woman discovered the man she’d been texting for weeks on Hinge wasn’t the person she thought. His AI had been doing the talking. More daters are now using chatbots to craft messages or even run entire conversations, creating connections that feel perfect online but fall flat in person. The appeal comes from dating fatigue and the pressure to always say the right thing, pushing people to let algorithms handle the hard parts. But as AI smooths every interaction, it risks stripping away the flaws and emotions that make human connection real.

See full article at Vice

Cray App Launches to Help People Spot Red Flags 

Posted on October 17, 2025
Cray app

EINPRESSWIRE – Cray is a new dating safety app launched nationwide by Tampa-based Cray App, LLC. It helps users recognize manipulation, deception, and emotional risks in relationships. Created by founder Justin Smith after a painful breakup, the app analyzes ~70 red flags across 18 categories and generates two private scores: CrayScore™ for overall relationship risk and SchemerScore™ for signs of ulterior motives such as money, sex, or control. Cray combines psychology, humor, and education to make dating safer and more self-aware.

See full article at Fox40

Building Wable: the Dating App Empowering the Neurodivergent Community

Posted on October 15, 2025
Logo of 'Wable'

SPOTIFY – Holly Fowler, founder of Wable, explains how she’s building what she calls the first dating app tailored for the neurodivergent community. Sparked by Love on the Spectrum and her own experiences, she and co-founder Michael Theo aim to reduce stigma and design safer, more inclusive product features. The episode covers the realities of launching in an overlooked market, why investor interest in neurodiversity is rising, and Holly’s roadmap for scale and impact.

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Grindr’s Owners Want to Take It Private

Posted on October 14, 2025
A smartphone displaying the Grindr app logo

SEMAFOR – Grindr’s two main owners, Raymond Zage and James Lu, might buy back the company and make it private again. They’re talking with Fortress Investment Group to borrow money for the deal. They’re considering paying ~$15 per share, which would value Grindr at $3B. Right now, the company is worth $2.4B on the stock market. Even though Grindr’s profits went up 25% last quarter, the stock price has dropped over 20% since September. The deal could attract national-security attention, since Grindr was once owned by a Chinese company and handles sensitive user data.

See full article at Semafor