Grindr's Chinese owner to sell gay dating app by 2020

Under an agreement with US officials, Beijing Kunlun Tech Co is prohibited from accessing information about Grindr users and must sell the app before June 30, 2020, or sign it over to a trustee. PHOTO: REUTERS

WASHINGTON (BLOOMBERG) - The Chinese owner of Grindr is required to sell the popular gay-dating app by June 2020 under an agreement with United States officials who raised national security concerns about the app's ownership.

Beijing Kunlun Tech Co said in a statement on Monday (May 13) that it reached an agreement on May 9 that prohibits the company from accessing information about Grindr's users and requires the sale of the app before June 30, 2020.

Grindr also won't be able to transmit any sensitive information to any entities based in China.

The national security agreement was reached with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS), which vets overseas acquisitions of American businesses for risks to national security. Among the risks the panel considers is whether a deal gives foreigners access to sensitive information about US citizens.

Kunlun completed its acquisition of Grindr in January 2018 and said on April 1 that it was in talks with CFIUS about the app. If Kunlun doesn't manage to sell Grindr by the June 2020 date, it would sign the app over to a trustee, under terms of the agreement with CFIUS.

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