Priest sues gay hookup app Grindr over data
leak
By Daniel Payne
CNA Staff, Jul 26, 2024 / 11:10 am
A priest is suing the gay dating and “hookup” app
Grindr after the company reportedly failed to protect his data, leading to his
resignation from a top position at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
(USCCB).
In July 2021, Monsignor Jeffrey
Burrill resigned from his post as
the general secretary of the USCCB ahead of a report by The Pillar alleging
that he had engaged in inappropriate behavior and frequent use of Grindr.
The app advertises itself as “the largest social
networking app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people.” Its geolocation feature
is popularly known to facilitate sex hookups between gay men.
The Pillar said its report on Burrill was based on
“commercially available records” correlated to the priest’s mobile device. But
a lawsuit filed this week claims that Grindr hadn’t taken steps to protect the
data from third-party acquisition.
The suit, filed in the Superior Court of
California, claims the group Catholic Laity and Clergy
for Renewal (CLCR) purchased the priest’s data from the app and sent it to The
Pillar.
The gay hookup app “assures customers” that it
“takes steps” to protect data from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, the
suit says. But Grindr allegedly “knew they were failing to protect sensitive
personal data of its customers” yet failed to take steps to protect it, the
filing says.
In 2022 Burrill returned to active
ministry as a priest in his home diocese of La Crosse,
Wisconsin, with then-Bishop William Callahan stating that the priest had
“engaged in a sincere and prayerful effort to strengthen his priestly vows” and
had “favorably responded to every request” made by the bishop and the diocese.
The priest was appointed to St. Teresa of Kolkata
Parish in West Salem, where he serves as pastor.
In his lawsuit, Burrill said his reputation had
been “destroyed” by the data leak.
In addition to losing his position at the USCCB, he
was “subjected to significant financial damages and emotional and psychological
devastation,” the suit says.
I have no time for this priest. What was he doing on this immoral site Grindr?
GENE
"I have no time for this priest. What was he doing on this immoral site Grindr?"
ReplyDeleteWell said Gene
Sebastian D'Orsai