Grindr wuxuu bixiyay lacag dhan 26 milyan oo gini kadib dacwad lagu eedeeyay inuu faafiyay xog gaar ah
Shacabka Ingiriiska ee 12,000 ah ee isticmaala barnaamijka Grindr ayaa ku eedeeyay shirkadda inay u gudbisay iibiyeyaasha xog gaar ah oo ay ku jirto xaaladda caafimaad ee qof kasta. Dacwadda 2024-kii la gudbiyay ayaa maanta la isku raacay, iyadoo Grindr ay bixisay lacag dhan 26 milyan oo gini, balse ay sheegtay inaanay aqbalin mas'uuliyadda.
Haddii aad isticmaasho WhatsApp, waa inaad ogolaataa in la helo lambarradaaga
Jan Penfrat, oo ka tirsan hay'adda xuquuqda dijitaalka ah ee Yurub (EDRi), ayaa sheegay in shirkadaha waaweyn ay rabayaan inay uga dhigaan xisaabtan adag. Marka la rakibo WhatsApp, waa in la ogolaadaa in la helo lambarrada gacanta, iyadoo la gudbiyo kuwa aan isticmaalin barnaamijkaas.
Shirkadaha sida Google ayaa ka faa'iideysanaya xogtaas si ay u sameeyaan 'targeting' oo ay u gudbiyaan iibiyeyaasha, taasoo ka dhigaysa inay helaan xogta dadka si ay uga dhigaan iibka aad u fudud.
Xogtaada waxaa laga heli karaa meelaha aad tagto iyo xaaladdaada
Penfrat wuxuu sheegay in shirkadaha ay u isticmaalaan xogta aad u gudbisay si ay u ogaadaan meelaha aad tagto, xaaladdaada, iyo qaybta bulshada aad ka mid tahay. Tusaale ahaan, haddii aad u tagto meel qurux badan, waxay u arkaan inaad tahay qof dhaqaale sare leh.
Haddii aad u tagto baraha LGBTQ, waxay u arkaan inaad tahay qof ka mid ah qaybtaas, iyadoo xogtaas la gudbiyo iibiyeyaasha si ay uga faa'iideystaan.
Yurub waxay ku adkeysatay shuruudo adag, laakiin shirkaduhu weli waa kuwo waaweyn
Yurub waxay leedahay shuruudo adag oo lagu ilaaliyo xogta dadka, iyadoo kuwa sida Apple, Meta, iyo Google ay ku bixiyeen lacago badan. Tusaale ahaan, Google ayaa bixisay lacag dhan 890 milyan oo yuro ah, halka Apple ay bixisay 500 milyan oo yuro ah.
Penfrat wuxuu sheegay in shirkadaha waaweyn ay lacagahaas ku jiraan bilowgii sanadka, iyadoo Yurub ay u baahan tahay inay adkeysato tallaabooyinkeeda si ay uga hortagto shirkadahaas.
A British court has approved a settlement between Grindr and approximately 12,000 users who alleged the dating app shared their highly sensitive personal data with advertisers, including in some cases their HIV status.
Settlement Reached Without Admission of Guilt
The lawsuit, filed in 2024, was settled earlier this week with Grindr agreeing to pay claimants a total of 26 million pounds, equivalent to approximately 30 million euros or 35 million dollars. However, the company stresses that this settlement is not an admission of liability and continues to dispute the allegations, noting that no legal judgment has been issued.
This resolution marks a significant moment for digital privacy advocates, as it highlights the ongoing tension between tech companies and users who feel their personal information has been mishandled. The case underscores the broader issue of how dating apps collect and potentially share intimate user data with third-party advertisers.
The Broader Problem of Data Exploitation
Jan Penfrat of European Digital Rights (EDRi) warns that many big tech companies aim to make it as difficult as possible for users and regulators to understand what data is gathered on devices and for what purpose. For instance, installing WhatsApp grants access to all smartphone contacts, transferring phone numbers to servers even for individuals who do not use the app and have not consented to data sharing.
Companies like Google then leverage this data to offer targeted advertising products, allowing manufacturers to display ads across search engines, email services, and hundreds of millions of third-party websites. Penfrat explains that if a company has access to location data, it can infer a user's home address, income level, and even their membership in the LGBTQ community based on geolocation patterns.
EU Enforcement and the Challenge of Global Tech Giants
The European Union has implemented some of the strictest data protection regulations globally, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Digital Markets Act, and the Digital Services Act. In 2025 alone, the EU Commission fined Apple 500 million euros, Meta 200 million euros, and Google 890 million euros, yet these penalties represent a fraction of Alphabet's 117 billion euro net profit.
Penfrat criticizes Brussels for lacking the political will to take firmer action against these companies and to better equip European data protection authorities. He notes that the sums imposed are merely included in the budgets of tech giants like Google and Amazon, which make far more in just a few days than the fines represent.
Ilaha iyo xuquuqda sawirka
Sawir: DW World Xigasho
