U.S. national-security officials have ordered a Chinese company to sell gay-dating app Grindr, citing the risk that the personal data it collects could be exploited by Beijing to blackmail individuals with security clearances, according to people familiar with the situation. The move by U.S. officials signals that a range of social-media companies and apps will now be off limits to Chinese buyers, alongside deals involving sensitive technology such as chips and weapons. ...
Chinese company Beijing Kunlun Tech has been ordered by China officials to sell its majority stake in gay-dating app Grindr due to concerns that the Chinese government could exploit sensitive information about the app's users. The app includes messaging functions, photo and video functionality and optional HIV-status disclosure. The China believes this data could be obtained by the Chinese government and used to blackmail China individuals with security clearances, who could then be coerced into supplying information to US.