The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Grindr, a dating app for gay men, cannot be liable for the rape of a 15-year-old boy, as the company is protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The ruling came after the teen was matched with sexual predators, leading to assaults. The court's decision supports previous judgments that held Grindr is shielded from legal responsibility, despite allegations that it violates safety by marketing to minors. This case may prompt a broader legal scrutiny of tech immunity protections in the future.
In a civil suit first filed in California Superior Court in Los Angeles and later moved to federal court, the boy's attorneys argued in Doe vs. Grindr that, despite its adults-only terms of service, Grindr knew kids used its app and even marketed to them on TikTok and Instagram.
This would have been a moment for the 9th Circuit to recognize that a product that recommends children to adults is defective, said the boy's attorney Carrie Goldberg.
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