Grindr and other popular gay dating apps are leaking their users’ location

0
Ben
Updated May 26, 2016
Published May 26, 2016
We may earn a commission via links on our site.
Why?

File this one under ‘oh, crap’, because if you’re a Grindr, Jack’d or Hornet (or indeed, all of them) user then you should know that the apps have the potential to leak your location data.

Three computer security researchers at Kyoto University, Japan have released a paper detailing how users of those apps can have their location pinpointed to a scary degree and with relative ease.

You think you’re safe because you’ve switched off location within the app? Wrong!

That might be embarrassing at the least, or potentially something far, far worse for users in the 76 countries in which it’s still illegal to be homosexual.

Essentially, the problem is one that’s going to be hard to avoid in the long-term. All of the apps use location to show other users nearby – it’s sort of the whole point.

However, the researchers say that by using trilateration (identifying location by measuring from three overlapping points), you can pinpoint a specific person.

All three apps offer privacy and security features, and partially rebutted claims made in the paper in a statement to Wired but the researchers insist that even after the apps had been updated, they were still identify location data.

If all that sounds pretty unlikely consider this: all you need is an Android device and an app that spoofs GPS location (plus some dummy accounts) to do it yourself.

And if you intend to carry on using them anyway, you may as well go ahead and download a GPS spoofing app (you’ll need a jailbroken iPhone if you’re an Apple user) so that you can protect against your own real location.

We’ve contacted all three companies and will update if they respond.

Your Neighbors Are My Spies: Location and other Privacy Concerns in GLBT-focused Location-based Dating Applications (PDF via Wired)

Article by
Ben Woods is a journalist, editor, and media adviser who not only brought SEXTECHGUIDE to life but keeps it running smoothly on a day-to-day basis.Before embarking on this exciting journey, Ben’s work reached millions of people each month through reputable publications such as WIRED, TrustedReviews, The Inquirer, V3, CNET, ZDNet, and The Next Web, among many more.Ben dives deep into the realms of tech, sex, and the future on SEXTECHGUIDE, inviting readers to explore the intriguing intersection of these domains.
Get in touch
On the same topic…
By the same author…
  • bluesky adult content guide

    Bluesky adult content: Every feature that keeps your feed exactly how you want it

    Ben/
    November 13, 2024
  • sextechguide youtube ban

    SEXTECHGUIDE vs. YouTube: Unpacking the double standards in adult content moderation

    Ben/
    October 1, 2024
  • Meta Quest 3 porn guide.

    Meta Quest 3 porn guide: The AR passthrough experience will blow you away

    Ben/
    June 9, 2024

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *