Ireland’s data protection regulator has fined Match Group €11m over shortcomings in Tinder’s “Download My Data” feature, which failed to provide users with a complete copy of the personal information held by the dating platform.
In a decision announced on Friday, the Data Protection Commission said the tool excluded some categories of personal data entirely while providing only summaries of others.
The regulator found that the practice breached the General Data Protection Regulation, which gives individuals the right to access the personal information organisations hold about them.
In addition to the financial penalty, Match Group received a formal reprimand and was given three months to ensure its data processing practices comply with the regulation.
Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle said automated tools could help organisations respond to data access requests but stressed that they must be fair and transparent about the information provided to users.
He said such tools must clearly communicate the extent of the personal data being disclosed.
“Tinder engaged with the DPC throughout this investigation, and we stand behind the privacy protections we’ve built for our users,” a spokesperson stated, according to Politico.
The decision brings to a close an investigation launched in early 2020, one of two inquiries announced by the Irish regulator during the same week. The other investigation, which examined Google’s handling of location data, ended in September with the commission imposing a €403m fine on the technology company.
Tinder’s case took nearly six years to conclude, reflecting longstanding criticism of the regulator over delays in enforcing European Union data protection laws.
For Match Group, however, the financial penalty is relatively modest.
The company had previously warned investors that the investigation could result in a fine of up to $60m.
According to its financial filings, Match Group had set aside a $9.1m provision for the case by mid-2026. The €11m penalty is slightly above that provision but significantly below the potential cost previously disclosed to investors.
