Grindr enhances safety and privacy features for 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan–Cortina

As the world prepares for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan–Cortina, Grindr has announced a strengthened set of safety and privacy protections to support LGBTQ+ athletes living and competing within Olympic Villages. The gay hook-up app will remain accessible throughout the Games, but with temporary measures designed to reduce the risk of unwanted attention and to help users connect with greater confidence.

Grindr’s official guidance explains that Olympic environments present uniquely sensitive circumstances. Athletes are placed under an intense global spotlight, and for those who are not publicly out, or who come from nations where being LGBTQ+ is dangerous or illegal, appearing on an app like Grindr can expose them to significant risk. The company notes that in the confined geography of an Olympic Village, features that are typically helpful - such as showing who is nearby or how far away they are - can inadvertently become tools for identifying or tracking individuals.

Past incidents at previous Olympics have shown that curious outsiders have attempted to browse Village profiles and even used location data to pinpoint athletes, raising fears of outing and unwanted exposure. Grindr emphasises that appearing on the app alone may reveal deeply personal information about an athlete, information that could have serious consequences in more than sixty countries where same‑sex relations remain criminalised.

To address these concerns during Milan–Cortina 2026, Grindr is temporarily disabling the Explore and Roam functions within the boundaries of the Olympic Villages so that people outside these areas cannot browse or contact users inside. The app will also switch off distance visibility by default, although individuals may choose to share an approximate distance if they wish. According to the company, the intention is not to limit athletes’ ability to meet others but to ensure they are not broadcasting their exact whereabouts in an environment where privacy is essential. 

Grindr is also unlocking a suite of privacy tools that are usually reserved for premium users. Disappearing messages will be available without limit, allowing conversations to vanish once read, and the unsend function will let users remove messages entirely from both sides of a chat. Screenshots of profile images and media shared in conversations will be blocked, helping to prevent attempts to capture and share identifying information. In addition, private videos - which normally allow a one‑time view - will be disabled altogether within official Olympic zones, reducing the risk that sensitive or intimate clips could be misused.

The company is also removing third‑party advertising during the Games, replacing it only with public‑service announcements aimed at further supporting users. Regular in‑app reminders will direct athletes to safety resources, including multilingual guidance designed for those who may face heightened dangers while using the app abroad. 

These measures stem from real experiences and lessons learned over multiple Olympic cycles. In previous Games, journalists and social media users outside the Villages have attempted to identify athletes through dating apps, including an incident at the Rio 2016 Olympics where details taken from Grindr profiles were used in a widely criticised report. Similar concerns resurfaced at the Tokyo Games, reinforcing the need for more robust protections. Grindr’s decision to introduce and maintain these safeguards reflects the company’s desire to offer LGBTQ+ athletes a way to connect authentically without fear of intrusion or exposure.

AJ Balance, Grindr’s Chief Product Officer, captured the motivation behind these steps, stating that the Olympic Games bring enormous visibility and therefore heightened safety risks for LGBTQ+ competitors. The temporary changes, he explained, are intended to give users greater control over their privacy while ensuring the app remains a supportive space rather than a liability.