Grindr...

 

According to this piece & others, Grindr is being sued in the UK for selling personal user data.  Not to blame the victim, but why would any user think a for-profit site isn't going to take advantage of every opportunity to cash in?

This dating app asks for a lot of personal info, the input entered is up to the user.   However, once there, anyone looking at the profile can see it.  The point being, is even if Grindr hadn't sold the data, it could've been gathered in other means.

Again, not siding with the corp, but users entered basic demographics; age, description, pics, ethnicity, etc...  But some entered pertinent medical; HIV status, meds, last test results, etc...  Why would anyone list some of that info on a dating app?  OK, HIV status I get.  It cold avoid some later issues & rejections.  But the rest was unnecessary.

If Grindr did this, they should be reprimanded.  However, why would you disclose this level of personal information if you weren't comfortable with it being public?   I've posted a lot about my medical situation on this blog.  I'm fully aware anyone that reads will know quite a bit about me.  But I choose to post that info.  These people opted to enter these things about themselves.  They weren't forced.  If the company did this, Grindr is in the wrong.   However, the users had a responsibility to protect themselves as well.  If you're on a dating app, the training wheels are off.

Cya...

More Boohoos...

I read articles about dating apps & people being rejected or pre-excluded.  They get their "feels" hurt & go on twitter rampages.  Everyone pre-excludes.  It's just on these apps, it's right there in your face.    There are tons of things I would pre-exclude.  I have no interest in people who are religious, overly political, overly ideological.  I prefer more grounded people, but not so much they have no imagination or appreciation of such things.  

Some people have no interest in dating a variety of people.  Some just want to date people pretty much like them.  That's OK.  It's their life & they get to choose who they date.   They don't have to date anyone they don't want to. Forcing them to date someone would be akin to social rape. 

Today's article on this matter was regarding HIV+ people.  A lot of people don't want to date people with illnesses, especially a virus like HIV.  That's their right.  Accept they didn't choose you & move on. You do not have the right to force yourself on them just because you don't want your feelings hurt.

Got an idea.  Get off the dating apps.  Try meeting people in real life & maybe they might get to know you past the HIV issue.  Then they might find a reason to invest their time in you.  This is on you, not them.

Cya...

Restating...

There's another dating site in the news.  It specializes in "Gay Sugar Daddies" looking healthy, younger men.   The site is trying to discourage/ban HIV+ people from being on it.  This has a lot of people screaming & boohooing.   Not me.

Let your flag fly.  Whether that be freak, bigot, picky or whatever.  I'd rather know upfront if a person is a bigot about whatever.  Or if they don't find this or that attractive or acceptable.  I like not having to wade through their crap list later.

So, they don't want to date people of color, religion or + status.  So what?  That's their right.   Stop whining & take it for the win it is.  These people are telling you what they're like from the get go.  Appreciate that & move on with your life.

Cya....

Why Not...

Some people are upset with the idea of a dating app allowing users to self-identify as HIV+.  They feel this is serosorting.   The idea decisions will be made upon a persons HIV status.  Guess what, it is.  That's sort of the point.  

Should a + person be discriminated against?  Not for housing, jobs, benefits, etc... But a person should be allowed to make a decision for themselves whether or not to be involved with a + partner.  

The conversation should be had, preferably before sex actually occurs.  Posting your status on Grindr  may deter some parties, but it also may save you from having to deal with that fall out face to face.  Posting your preferences & attributes, possibly including HIV status, simply allows for some difficult situations to be avoided by both parties.  If you can't handle that, then you're probably not mature enough to actually be dating or hooking up.

Personally, the more specific you can get, the better.

Cya...