Bumble’s AI Icebreakers May Violate EU Law

Bumble, a dating app with around 50 million users, including 1.45 million in Germany, has come under scrutiny for its new AI Icebreakers feature, which utilizes OpenAI to generate opening messages based on user data. Data Protection Lawyer Lisa Steinfeld from noyb argues that Bumble introduced this feature without obtaining proper consent from users, instead presenting them with a misleading consent banner that pressures them to agree. Bumble claims to rely on a “legitimate interest” under GDPR for data processing, which raises concerns due to inadequate transparency regarding data usage and the nature of sensitive user information, such as sexual orientation. A complaint has been filed with the Austrian data protection authority for violating transparency and consent regulations. noyb demands that Bumble cease unlawful processing and implement appropriate legal measures, recommending that potential fines be imposed to deter future violations.

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