Grindr

What it is

Grindr is an adult dating app used by LGBTQ people. It shows other users by how near they are, and it is for adults 18 and over. A child should not be on it.

A young person who is questioning their identity still deserves privacy, respect, and support. Those needs can be met without an adult sexual network. Local LGBTQ youth services are a different conversation from the safety step, which is to remove the app.

If an adult has been in sexual contact with a child through any dating app, that is a matter for the police and a child-protection report, whatever the genders involved.

What to look out for

• A location that would show home or school.
• Profiles of adults very nearby.
• Photos already sent, or a plan to meet.
• Shame that stops them telling you. Lead with the fact they are not in trouble for who they are.

Ways to stay safe

These steps are for Grindr. The house rules still apply on every app.

• Remove the app. If a young child uses the device, keep the app-store password yourself so it cannot be quietly reinstalled.
• Do not message anyone on the account, and do not pretend to be your child.
• If an adult has asked for photos, offered money, or tried to meet, contact the police and a child-protection report line. The help page lists them.
• Write down usernames you can see. Do not delete the conversation if police may need to see it, and do not copy or forward sexual images.
• If they need someone to talk to about identity, offer a trusted adult or a proper youth service, separately from removing the app.

In the news

Published reports you can read yourself. A headline is the proof, not a set of instructions, and this page does not repeat graphic detail.

• Dating apps told to stop under-18s after child abuse cases linked to Grindr The i Paper · 2025 Ofcom said dating apps should assume children can open them unless the age check actually works. Grindr and Tinder were named.
• Overhaul algorithms and age checks or face fines, tech firms told BBC News · 2025 Ofcom’s children’s code says sites with pornography or harmful content must use stronger age checks. The i Paper report is the one that names dating apps.

A way to start the conversation

You can say: "Who you are is not the problem, and you are not in trouble for that. This app is for adults, so it has to come off the phone. If an adult has asked you for anything sexual, we will get the right help."

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