TikTok Allegedly Monitored Grindr Activity via Third-Party Tracker, Privacy Group Claims

TikTok Allegedly Tracks Grindr Users Through Third-Party Analytics, Privacy Group Claims

A major privacy controversy has emerged involving TikTok after a European digital rights group alleged that the popular social media platform allegedly monitored user activity on the dating app Grindr through a third-party tracking service. The allegations were made public on 17 December 2025 and have raised serious questions about user consent, data transparency, and compliance with European privacy laws.

The complaint was filed by None of Your Business (noyb), a prominent privacy advocacy group based in Europe, which accused TikTok of unlawfully accessing sensitive user data via a third-party analytics provider. According to the group, TikTok allegedly obtained information related to a user’s activity on Grindr, a dating application widely used within the LGBTQ+ community, where data is considered highly sensitive under European law.

Noyb stated that the data was allegedly collected without the user’s explicit consent, representing a potential violation of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The regulation strictly limits how companies can process sensitive personal information, particularly data that may reveal sexual orientation or private lifestyle details.

The case came to light after a user exercised their legal right under GDPR to request access to all personal data held about them. The information disclosed reportedly showed that TikTok had access not only to Grindr-related activity but also to usage data from other applications and online platforms. Privacy advocates argue that users were never properly informed that such cross-app tracking was taking place.

According to the complaint, TikTok relied on a third-party mobile analytics company to gather this information for purposes such as advertising optimization, analytics, and internal measurement. Noyb argues that these purposes do not justify the collection of sensitive personal data without clear and informed user permission.

The privacy group has urged regulators to impose significant fines and order an immediate halt to the alleged data processing practices. It warned that unchecked tracking of this nature could undermine public trust in digital platforms and expose users to serious privacy risks.

These allegations come at a challenging time for TikTok, which has already faced increased regulatory scrutiny in Europe over data protection issues. The company has previously been fined for violations related to data transfers and transparency obligations, adding further weight to the latest complaint.

Legal experts say the case could become a landmark moment for digital privacy enforcement, particularly regarding the use of third-party trackers by major technology companies. Regulators are now expected to review the complaint and determine whether TikTok breached EU privacy rules.

If confirmed, the findings could have wide-ranging implications for how social media platforms collect and share user data across apps, reinforcing the importance of consent and accountability in the digital age.