LOS ANGELES, July 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Grindr announced it will be hosting its first-ever HIV Data Privacy Summit in Los Angeles. The summit, which is slated for late October 2018, will convene HIV/AIDS policy experts and LGBTQ+ community leaders to provide feedback on the recent changes made to Grindr's privacy policy and to develop a set of guiding principles that could be adopted industry-wide to ensure protection and transparency for social app users who self-disclose sexual health information.

"The LGBTQ+ community continues to see the incredible positive outcomes that occur when people are able to share their HIV status," said Jack Harrison-Quintana, vice president of social impact and executive director of Grindr for Equality. "By inviting feedback on our own policy changes and initiating a larger dialogue on privacy needs for self-disclosed sexual health information, we can help ensure users have a safe and secure platform to openly share their status and have conversations online, which we know leads to higher testing rates and further reduces the stigma still attached to HIV status."

Currently, Grindr has confirmed participation interest from several prominent organizations, including AIDS United, the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC), the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, The New York City Anti-Violence Project and Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC). Grindr is also in discussion with other leading HIV/AIDS organizations to determine interest and availability for participation.

"It takes courage to disclose one's HIV status publicly. For some, the stigma and fear of violence can keep them from disclosing," said Robert Lopez, manager of data analytics and evaluation at New York City Anti-Violence Project. "The New York City Anti-Violence Project is thrilled to take part in Grindr's HIV Data Privacy Summit to help create measures to ensure every user feels they can safely self-disclose. As more users feel comfortable and safe in disclosing, it will create a culture that destigmatizes HIV. Visibility is a crucial part to ending the epidemic." 

The full list of participants, official date and agenda, all of which is being determined in collaboration with participating organizations, will be announced in the weeks leading up to the October 2018 summit.

To request additional information as it becomes available on Grindr's HIV Data Privacy Summit, please contact press@grindr.com. 

About Grindr for Equality
Grindr for Equality (G4E) is a program within Grindr focused on the ever-evolving mission to promote justice, health, safety, and more for LGBTQ+ individuals around the globe. G4E works with health, digital rights and LGBTQ+/human rights organizations as well as local community leaders and queer activists to find ways of using the Grindr app, technology and platform to mobilize, inform, protect and empower Grindr users.

G4E has played an important role in a number of LGBTQ+ related causes including helping to advance the cause for legalized same sex marriage in the US and Australia; making Grindr safer for users in places where it's not safe to be out such as the Middle East/North Africa region; and more recently led the initiative to make Grindr more trans inclusive. Jack Harrison-Quintana, Director of Grindr For Equality, is one of Fast Company's 2016 Top 100 Most Creative People in Business and one of Foreign Policy Magazine's 2016 Top Global Thinkers.

About Grindr
With 3.8 million daily active users in every country in the world, Grindr is the largest LGBTQ+ mobile social network. Since its launch in 2009, Grindr has grown to become a fundamental part of users' daily lives globally. The company continues to expand their ecosystem to enable all users to connect to the world around them. Through INTO, a digital content platform for and by the LGBTQ+ community, various events, and experiential opportunities, Grindr is helping users engage across the spectrum.

Headquartered in West Hollywood, California, Grindr is a Certified Transgender-Inclusive Business that encompasses a diverse and passionate family of makers, innovators, leaders, and most importantly, doers. Grindr employees are fueled by an endless curiosity, an ability to embrace change, a respectful and collaborative work environment, and a knack for crossing every finish line. Grindr is proud to have been recognized by Fast Company as one of the ten "Most Innovative Social Media Companies in 2016" and by Forbes as a "model for corporate social responsibility." Grindr is available on the App Store and Google Play.

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SOURCE Grindr