OkCupid has reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over accusations that it misled millions of users by sharing their photos with a facial recognition firm without obtaining their consent.
While OkCupid and its parent company, Match Group, have not admitted any wrongdoing, they have agreed to avoid similar practices in the future. According to the FTC’s allegations, OkCupid provided the facial recognition company Clarifai access to nearly three million user photos, along with demographic and location information, after an approach from one of OkCupid’s founders in 2014. This action reportedly breached OkCupid’s privacy policy, as users were not offered the choice to opt-out of this data sharing.
The FTC further claimed that OkCupid and Match attempted to conceal their dealings with Clarifai when contacted by The New York Times for a report. Despite these allegations, the settlement does not impose financial penalties on OkCupid or Match, nor does it specifically address the data shared with Clarifai. The companies have committed to transparent data collection and sharing policies in the future and will be subject to compliance monitoring, which could lead to further action if the court approves the order and they are found in violation. Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s consumer protection bureau, emphasized that the settlement underscores the FTC’s commitment to enforcing companies’ privacy promises.
At this time, OkCupid has not issued a comment from a named spokesperson. Meanwhile, Match and Clarifai have not yet responded to requests for comment.
