GRINDR have announced enhanced safety features ahead of the Winter Olympics.
Nearly 3,000 athletes are set to descend upon Milano Cortina for a stunning 16 days of sport, starting this Friday.
The Winter Olympics is set to commence this FridayCredit: Getty
Ahead of , LGBTQ dating app Grindr has announced a string of changes in a bid to protect the privacy of athletes taking part.
Users inside the Olympic village will be able to hide their profiles from those outside – while they will also be able to send messages that disappear automatically after being read.
Screenshots from private chats will also be banned.
A Grindr statement read: “When the Olympics come around, athletes face a level of global attention that doesn’t exist anywhere else — on the podium and off.
“For gay athletes, especially those who aren’t out or who come from countries where being gay is dangerous or illegal, that visibility creates real safety risks.
“Grindr shows users who’s nearby and how far away they are. In most contexts, that’s useful. In the Olympic Village where thousands of athletes are packed into a small area, those same features may become a liability.
“Someone outside the Village could browse profiles inside it. Distance data could be used to pinpoint someone’s exact location.
“And simply appearing on Grindr tells the world something about a person’s identity that, in more than 60 countries, remains a criminal offence.
“Athletes use the app during the Games the same way they use it at home. We’re not changing that. But the Village needs different rules.
“We first restricted location features at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and continued at Paris 2024. Milano Cortina 2026 will be our third consecutive Games with these protections in place.”
Grindr will also send athletes frequent safety reminders.
They confirmed: “During the Games, we’ll send users in the Village: Weekly reminders about risks specific to the Olympic environment.
“Links to our multilingual safety and privacy guides.”
Grindr’s statement concluded: “To the trailblazing athletes heading to Italy: we’re proud to support you and we can’t wait to see you shine.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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