⚠ Data Sensitivity Tier 2: Dating App Data

Dating app data requires heightened privacy protections - it includes sexual orientation, intimate preferences, precise location, private messages, and behavioral patterns. Match.com is the namesake brand of Match Group (45+ dating businesses). This review focuses exclusively on documented policy language with exact citations.

🏢 Match Group Ownership Structure

Match.com is the flagship brand of Match Group, Inc. Per Mozilla Foundation: "Match is the namesake app of the Match Group, which owns a whole portfolio of dating sites including Tinder, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and more." Data practices involve sharing across Match Group's entire portfolio.

📊 Data Collection Scope

Sensitive Personal Information (CCPA Definition)

Match.com collects extensive sensitive personal information as defined under California law:

"Some of the information we collect also constitutes 'sensitive personal information' under the CCPA, including information that reveals your social security, driver's license, state identification card, or passport number, precise geolocation, racial or ethnic origin, sex life or sexual orientation, religious or philosophical beliefs, biometric information, and contents of your messages."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

Profile and Personal Data

Match.com collects detailed personal information for user profiles:

"login credentials, phone number, gender, date of birth; details on your personality, lifestyle, interests" and "photos and videos."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

Geolocation Tracking

Match.com collects location data, including when the app is not actively in use:

"your geolocation! Even while you're not using Match (yikes!)."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

Biometric Data (Face Geometry)

For Selfie Verification features, Match.com collects biometric data:

"face geometry data" through Selfie Verification features.
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

Chat and Message Monitoring

Match.com processes user communications and may use them for AI training:

"Your chats with other users" may be "filtered by automated tools and may be used to train those tools," and "other humans might be able to read your DMs."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

Psychological Profiling and Inferences

Match.com creates inferences about users' psychological characteristics:

"preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes"
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

👥 Third-Party Sharing

Targeted Advertising

Match.com shares data with advertisers for targeted advertising:

"We may also share this information with other Match Group companies and third parties (notably advertisers) to develop and deliver targeted advertising on our services and on websites or applications of third parties, and to analyze and report on advertising you see."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

Match Group Cross-Platform Sharing

Data is shared across Match Group's family of dating apps:

"Match shares data with all those other many Match Group apps. So if you live in the US and you decide to ditch Tinder for Hinge, Match Group is taking notes."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

De-Identified Data Sharing

Match.com shares data that may be re-identifiable:

"Match's privacy policy also says they can share 'non-personal information' and 'de-identified' information for targeted ads on Match Group's services and on third party apps and websites too. And researchers say it can be easy to re-identify personal information."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

Service Providers and Vendors

Match Group shares data with third-party vendors:

"Match Group uses third parties to assist with technical operations and provide their overall services, similar to many other apps and online platforms. They only share the specific information deemed necessary to operate their platform, in line with the applicable laws."
Source: Match Group Privacy Page

Law Enforcement Disclosure

Match.com may share data with law enforcement:

"We may disclose your information if reasonably necessary: (i) to comply with a legal process, such as a court order, subpoena or search warrant, government / law enforcement investigation or other legal requirements; (ii) to assist in the prevention or detection of crime (subject in each case to applicable law); or (iii) to protect the safety of any person."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

No Data Sales Claim

Match.com's position on data sales:

"We do not 'sell' or 'share' your personal information so no opt out choice is necessary. This means that we do not sell, share, rent, release, disclose, disseminate, make available, transfer, or otherwise communicate in any way your personal information to another company for monetary or other valuable consideration or for cross-context behavioral advertising."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

🕐 Data Retention

Retention Policy Statement

Match Group's stated retention approach:

"Match Group keeps personal information only as long as they need it for legitimate business purposes as permitted or required by applicable law. They typically keep information while you have an account with them. Once you delete your account, the account is not visible on the service anymore. From there, they delete information subject to their legitimate interests, including legal requirements to retain data for litigation purposes."
Source: Match Group Privacy Page

Anonymized Data May Be Kept

Match Group may retain anonymized data indefinitely:

"Where legally permitted, they can retain and use data that, on its own, cannot identify or be linked specifically to you for the purposes outlined in the Privacy Policy."
Source: Match Group Privacy Page

☑ User Control and Rights

Limited Data Deletion Rights

Match.com's data deletion rights depend on user location:

"Match does not promise to delete your personal data. They say you might only have the right to get your data deleted based on where you live, meaning what privacy laws you live under. If you don't live in a place with strong privacy laws, you could be out of luck."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

Data Access Rights

Users can request copies of their data:

"Regardless of where their services are established or where you are located and regardless of whether your local law grants you this right, you can request a copy of the data they process about you."
Source: Match Group Privacy Page

CCPA Non-Discrimination

California users have anti-discrimination protections:

"If you choose to exercise any of your rights under the CCPA, you have the right to not receive discriminatory treatment."
Source: Match Group Privacy Page

🔒 Security Measures

Security Safeguards Statement

Match Group's stated security approach:

"Match Group maintains strong administrative, technical and, physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against accidental, unlawful, or unauthorized destruction, loss, alteration, access, disclosure, or use."
Source: Match Group Privacy Page

Vendor Security Requirements

Match Group's vendor vetting process:

"They only use vendors that they have vetted based on security and privacy standards, and require strict contractual commitments around the confidentiality and security of users' personal information from these vendors."
Source: Match Group Privacy Page

🌎 GDPR/CCPA Compliance

GDPR Global Rollout

Match Group claims to apply GDPR standards globally:

"Match Group complies with all state, federal, and international laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in California. All of their brands' policies are based on the robust standards established under the GDPR, which they have started rolling out globally to all users, whether they are in the EU or not."
Source: Match Group Privacy Page

Sensitive Data Use Limitations

Match Group's stated limitations on sensitive data use:

"we do NOT use sensitive data, such as sexual orientation, racial or ethnic origins, religion, or precise geolocation data for third-party advertising."
Source: Match Group Privacy Page

No Tracking of External Activity

Match Group's statement on external tracking:

"We only collect the data we need to provide the best service possible. We don't track, and thus don't collect any data about your activity on other websites or platforms."
Source: Match Group Privacy Page

⚖ Regulatory Actions and Legal History

$14 Million FTC Settlement (2025)

Match Group reached a significant settlement with the FTC:

"In August 2025, the Federal Trade Commission announced a $14 million settlement with Match Group, Inc. and Match Group, LLC, the parent companies of online dating platforms Match.com, OkCupid, PlentyOfFish, and other dating sites."
Source: FTC Press Release

FTC Allegations - Fraudulent Communications

The FTC alleged Match used fraudulent communications to induce subscriptions:

"The FTC alleged that Match sent non-subscribed users notifications - such as alerts about 'likes' or 'favorites' - purporting to be from real users, to induce recipients to purchase paid subscriptions. However, many of these communications were allegedly from fraudulent or scam accounts."
Source: FTC - Match Group, Inc. Case

BIPA Lawsuit - Biometric Data

Match Group faces class action over biometric data collection:

"Not only did the companies fail to seek consent from Illinois users that it was collecting and storing their facial data, it did not inform them how the data would be used or how long it would be stored for."
Source: Top Class Actions - Match Group BIPA Lawsuit

EU Consumer Law Compliance (2024)

Match Group's Tinder was found to violate EU consumer law:

"In March 2024, Match Group owned Tinder committed to 'inform consumers that discounts they propose for premium services are personalised by automated means' following dialogue with the European Commission, after it was found that Tinder applied personalized prices without informing consumers, which violated EU consumer law."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included

Addiction Lawsuit (2024)

Match Group faced lawsuits over allegedly addictive app design:

"In February 2024, Match parent company Match Group was accused in a lawsuit of making their apps addictive and putting profit over their customers' relationship goals."
Source: Mozilla Foundation - Privacy Not Included: Match.com

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