Norway Fined A Microsoft Subsidiary $9.6 Million For Allegedly Misusing Grindr User Data
Xandr has three weeks to appeal the record penalty.
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The Norwegian Data Protection Authority (NDPA) has charged Xandr, an adtech subsidiary of Microsoft, with a fine of 92 million Norwegian kroner, or around $9.6 million. According to the data protection agency, Xandr allegedly didn't obtain "explicit consent" to use sensitive user data of those on Grindr for advertising purposes, instead only assuming that the dating app already secured user approval. It's also the highest fine that the Norwegian authority has issued to date.
"When a person opened Grindr, their personal data was in many cases relayed through Xandr to potentially thousands of actors in the advertising ecosystem," the NDPA wrote in a press release. "Advertisers could thereby bid against each other to present targeted adverts, completely hidden from the individual user."
The case started in 2020 when the country's consumer council filed a complaint against Xandr, which wasn't...
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