Swipe right - but watch your data: Dating app hit with data complaint
According to NOYB, the so-called AI Icebreakers feature on Bumble for Friends uses personal profile information without consent in breach of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The feature, introduced in December 2023, is powered by OpenAI and it allows the app to access people's personal profile data in order to AI-generate an opening message based on the information people have shared on the platform, NOYB said.
'Bumble forces its AI features on millions of European users without ever asking them for their consent. Instead, their personal data is being sent to OpenAI and fed into the company's AI systems,' said Lisa Steinfeld, a data protection lawyer at NOYB.
The complaint has been filed with the Austrian data protection authority.
AI tools
AI tools have come under scrutiny in recent months from data protection authorities across Europe. For example, Meta has been asked to improve to its artificial intelligence tool MetaAI following concerns from the Irish Data Protection Authority over the use of public data from Facebook and Instagram accounts used to train its Large Language Models (LLMs).
The company remains under scrutiny and needs to report back to the Irish Data Protection Authority (DPA) in October, the regulator said in a statement.
It is estimated that some 50 million people globally use the dating app Bumble. While the app doesn't provide specific user numbers for Europe, Germany alone accounted for 1.45 million users in 2024.
Other dating apps, including Grindr have also faced privacy complaints and fines due to their data sharing practices, in particular with third-party advertising companies. The Norwegian Data Protection Authority imposed a fine of NOK 65 million (approximately €5.8 million) on Grindr for these violations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
4 hours ago
- LeMonde
'European citizens under US sanctions are being erased economically and socially within the EU'
In recent months, the US has added several judges and International Criminal Court prosecutors to the list of "Specially Designated Nationals" maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which is responsible for enforcing US international financial sanctions. On July 9, Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, joined them on the list. The individuals listed have had their assets frozen in the US, and American nationals and companies are prohibited from doing business with them. Neither criminals nor fugitives, but rather respected professionals in international law who have been sanctioned – not for wrongdoing, but for carrying out their duties, in ways that are clearly displeasing to Washington. This development is not just a diplomatic affront; it is an alarming signal. A small but growing number of European citizens – who are innocent under all legal standards of the European Union (EU) – also appear on the OFAC list. They are not under investigation in their own countries. No court has convicted them. And yet, they and their families have been treated as pariahs. Not only in the US, but – more seriously still – in their own countries, within the EU itself. These individuals have become Europe's living dead: legally alive, but erased economically and socially. They are victims of a kind of "civil death" penalty. Their inclusion on the OFAC list, often for opaque or arbitrary reasons, triggers a cascade of consequences far beyond American borders. It is in Europe that banks close their accounts; that IT companies cut off access to email, software, and cloud services; that delivery companies refuse to drop packages at their door. Families have been ruined. Careers destroyed. However, it is perhaps understandable that people subject to OFAC sanctions should be restricted in their travel to, or trade with, the US. After all, it is the prerogative of the US government to exercise sovereignty on its own territory. It is unacceptable, however, that European citizens – some of them above any suspicion in the eyes of their own authorities – lose everything at home due to excessive caution on the part of European companies. These businesses blindly enforce US sanctions. Two trends explain the phenomenon.
LeMonde
6 hours ago
- LeMonde
Cognac drags down LVMH's spirits division
The engine driving cognac sales has yet to regain full speed. LVMH acknowledged it in its half-year results, published Thursday, July 24. Moët Hennessy, its wine and spirits division – of which British company Diageo owns 34% – reported an 8% drop in revenue to €2.58 billion. This marks a further slide after an 11% decline over 2024, to €5.9 billion. The blow was even harsher for recurring operating profit, which fell by one-third to €524 million in the first six months of 2025. The group, led by Bernard Arnault, explained the disappointing performance due to "weak demand for cognac" and "the impact on customers of trade tensions weighing on key markets in the US and China." The US and China accounted for 80% of sales of the prized Charente region spirit, whose leading brand is Hennessy. Across the Atlantic, LVMH – and major competitors such as Pernod Ricard, owner of Martell, or Rémy Cointreau, known for its Rémy Martin brand – were caught off guard. After the post-Covid-19 boom, the wave of inflation disrupted consumer behavior. They suddenly became more cautious about spending just as spirits groups continued to raise their prices. The drop-off was abrupt. Chinese customers also adopted a wait-and-see attitude, troubled by their country's economic slowdown. After trade battles On top of this new consumer mindset, fierce trade battles compounded the problem. Since early 2024, cognac has been ensnared in a conflict between Europe and China. The sector breathed a sigh of relief in early July. Although Beijing decided to impose 32% tariffs on European wine-based spirits, most companies that agreed to set a minimum price – in effect, a price increase ranging from 12% to 16% – were granted exemptions. LVMH benefited from this agreement. Likewise, Rémy Cointreau revised down the impact of Chinese tariffs on Friday, July 25, from €40 million to €10 million. Conversely, the impact in the US would rise from €25 million to €35 million.
Euronews
14 hours ago
- Euronews
Travel sector slams proposed ETIAS fee hike as ‘disproportionate'
European aviation and travel group bosses have criticised the proposed increase in the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) fee from €7 to €20. A joint statement from travel industry leaders, including the European Travel Agents' and Tour Operators' Association (ECTAA), European Tourism Association, Airlines for Europe (A4E) said the price hike was disproportionate and a threat to the continent's travel competitiveness. 'This increase appears disproportionate and runs counter to the original intention of the co-legislators (European Parliament and Council), who agreed to a modest and reasonable fee during the 2018 negotiations – a key outcome supported by the travel and tourism sector,' the statement reads. They highlighted concerns about fairness and pointed out that although the fee increase may be small on its own, it would add to escalating costs for families. This is especially as overnight taxes have also soared in several popular European cities, such as Barcelona, Venice and Lisbon. The ETIAS fee increase poses 'another cost and administrative burden on travellers, with little noticeable benefit to the user experience', according to Patrick Diemer, chair of BT4Europe, as reported by Business Travel News. He added: 'We support secure, efficient entry systems, but only where they deliver real value to travellers and businesses alike. This fee hike sends the wrong signal.' The ETIAS is likely to start operating late next year, requiring visa-exempt non-EU travellers from countries like US, UK, Brazil, Canada and Australia to get an online authorisation before travelling to the EU. Lack of transparency and insufficient evidence for fee hike The ETIAS fee increase also comes as the European travel and tourism sector faces ongoing challenges caused by high inflation, geopolitical instability and soaring operational costs. Travel industry leaders raised concerns about the lack of transparency around the proposed figure and questioned whether other pricing models, such as €10 or €12 had been sufficiently considered. 'At present, insufficient evidence has been offered to justify that such a fee level is necessary for the operation and maintenance of ETIAS,' said the statement. The EU has cited higher operational costs for this price jump and emphasised that it will also help it better align with international travel standards. The hike is expected to help pay for ongoing maintenance, new technical features and operational staffing. This will include stronger encryption, upgraded automation and better coordination with other EU travel systems such as the Entry/Exit System (EES). Travel associations slammed using other travel authorisation schemes such as the UK ETA as justification for the ETIAS, saying: 'Fee decisions should reflect the actual operational needs of the EU system and be fully justified. They should not aim to align with unrelated schemes without clear rationale and legal basis.' They are calling for an impact assessment by the European Commission, justifying the proposed fee hike with a thorough cost breakdown.. The Council and European Parliament have also been urged to implement a more evidence-based and proportionate fee.
