Grindr XTRA is the latest and premium version of Grindr dating app.With billions of users globally, Grindr has not become one of the most used dating apps to entertain gay and bisexual men. Launched in the year 2009, the app is much older and more established than Tinder.
grindr-xtra-1
Since then, the famous dating app has undergone a lot of significant changes with the aim to provide the LGBT community with a safe dating platform.
Top Grindr XTRA Features
With Grindr XTRA, subscribed users can enjoy a lot benefits and features, such as:
- No interstitial or banner ads
- Personalized and customized push notifications
- View about 600 people
- Enjoy online-only view
- Get access to additional filters to boost your experience
- Chat, Tap and Favorite Users via Explore mode
- Have access to more Grindr Tribes
- Have access to more blocks and favorites
- Quick-send recent photos
- Save and send chat phrases
- Swipe through profiles
grindr-xtra-2
Some more new Grindr XTRA features that you can enjoy are: read receipts, discreet app icon, PIN, and filters and mark profiles as ‘recently added’. With these features, you can say that Grindr XTRA worth it!
Though the app is designed to be safe for the LGBT community, there are several privacy and safety issues associated with the app.
Part 1: Privacy Issues with Grindr Premium Version
Many users, including Grindr XTRA iOS and Android, find the app as a platform on which they can date and enjoy without shame or guilt. It provides them with a huge relief in the society where many people judge two men holding each other’s hands.
grindr-xtra-3
Unfortunately, some malicious folks with bad intentions leverage Grindr for their own bad purposes. That is what creates several potential dangers for your overall wellbeing, security, and privacy.
Some of these issues are:
- Users May Find Your Location
In order to get the fullest out of Grindr XTRA, the app constantly fetches your location. It uses your GPS and Wi-Fi for matching you to other Grindr users using the app in the same geographic area. However, like many other famous dating apps, Grindr has a few vulnerabilities that make it easy for strangers to find out your exact location. For instance, the app shows how far away your ‘appropriate matches’ exist in deep detail.
grindr-xtra-4
In 2014, in response to a potential cyberthreat, the app allowed users to disable location sharing if they want. But, later on, it was found that other users can still track a user’s location even if the location sharing settings are disabled. As a result, Grindr XTRA restricted access to users’ data for those who block other users. Also, the Grindr premium advised app users not to use their logins for other sites.
- Threat to Health Information
Another well-known privacy risk does with your personal data. There is news that Grindr shared users’ sensitive health information with other companies.
However, claimed that that data-sharing too place due to users consent to data-sharing at the time they sign up for the app. However, practically, most of the app users were unaware of this data sharing. When users choose to reveal their HIV status, the information shows up to other Grindr users who view their profile.
grindr-xtra-5
Though the application claims to be entirely safe, users still concern about the safety of their health information due to this news.
- Grindr XTRA App users in anti-gay countries could be in danger.
Free Grindr Premium allows people to determine the users’ exact locations, causing a lot of privacy risks, especially when the user belongs to an anti-gay country. Homosexuality is still illegal in about 69 nations, with using the death penalty for such involvements. So, you can consider cancelling Grindr Subscription, which is the one option.
Being a Grindr XTRA user from any of such places can lead to extreme consequences. Though the app is striving to fight this risk by hiding the distance flag used in the app, these changes were easily circumvented.
grindr-xtra-6
Since Grindr XTRA aims to connect people who belong to the same geographical area, entirely deleting users’ location will make the app meaningless. In lack of this information, people location miles away could be matched with one another, without having any chance to meet up in reality. These practical issues can contribute to the app’s fight against its misuse.
Part 2: Ways to Protect your Privacy on Grindr XTRA
There are several ways to protect you when using free Grindr premium version. Some of these are:
- Share Less
As with any other dating apps you use, it’s always a great idea to limit the amount of personal information you add to your profile. It is good to avoid using your full name, contact number, HIV status, and other pieces of sensitive information.
grindr-xtra-7
In addition to this, you should choose a profile picture on Grindr Premium that you are not using anywhere else on the internet. If so, other users could perform a reverse image search using your photo to find more information about you on the Internet.
Moreover, if you are willing to take your conversation with anyone off the app, make sure use Google Voice or a similar reliable service so that you can keep your own phone number private and use a secondary phone number.
- Disable the distance function
Dating apps, including Grindr, use the GPS location of your mobile device. It uses this information to match you up with other users in your geographic area. You can see exactly how far you and your match are apart in real-time.
grindr-xtra-8
This option is convenient if you want to meet up instantly. However, as mentioned above, this could be a threat as it reveals your exact location on Grindr Premium. So, it is wise to hide your distance information.
Here are the steps how to do this:
Step 1: Open the Grind app on your phone.
Step 2: Go to your profile setting.
Step 3: Now, click on Settings in the upper right corner of your screen.
Step 4: Next, go to Display Preferences.
Step 5: Now, turn off the option for Show My Distance.
It is important to keep in mind that by turning off this option, you will only prevent other users from spotting and calculate your exact distance or location. Your profile still categorizes with and shown to other users using the app in the same area. Thus, your location is still vulnerable if other local app users disclose their whereabouts on Grindr Premium.
- Use a fake location app
grindr-xtra-9
When you are able to hide your location, you get peace of mind while using Grindr XTRA. To move a step further, using a location spoofing app can help. These apps make the Grindr app and app users into thinking that you are somewhere else.
Fortunately, there are endless options when it comes to choosing a location spoofing app for Grindr Plus. Whether you are an Android user or own an iOS device, you can choose from Fake GPS, GPS Emulator, Fake GSPS by Hola, Fake GPS Go, and Fake GPS by ByteRev, to name a few.
It is important to know that you must choose only a reliable app. Otherwise, Grindr may spot you and you may fall into a huge legal trouble if you are from an anti-gay country.
If you are an iPhone user, Dr.Fone-Virtual Location makes the safest option for location spoofing for using Grindr XTRA safely.
grindr-xtra-10
Dr.Fone – Virtual Location (iOS) enables users to mock their location while safeguarding their privacy. Using this tool, you can easily and quickly teleport the GPS location of your iOS device to anywhere in the world. Also, this Dr.Fone app lets you stimulate your iPhone’s GPS to help you spoof your location on Grindr Plus.
Following is the important step-by-step process you have to follow for downloading and the Dr.Fone – Virtual Location (iOS) app. Download and install the app on your iPhone and start using Grindr XTRA features with security, safety and fun.
Step 1: The very step is that you go to the official Dr.Fone – Virtual Location (iOS) site. From this place, you have to download the Dr.Fone app. Install and app and launch if on your device. Next, tap the “Virtual Location” option.
grindr-xtra-11
Step 2: After that, you have to connect your iPhone device to your window PC. Then, tap the “Get Started” button.
grindr-xtra-12
Step 3: Begin your search for any desired location where you wish to teleport to. Then, from the tool, you have to tap the teleport feature.
grindr-xtra-13
You can also directly search for the desired location on the given map on your screen, or by simply entering the location’s name in the search bar you see on the top.
Step 4: Following these steps, you have to drop the pin to the target region you see on to the map. Moving forward, tap the “Move Here” button.
grindr-xtra-14
Step 5: By performing all of the above steps, your current location on Grindr Plus will be spoofed to the faked location. The interface of the app will also reflect the spoofed location.
grindr-xtra-15
You can anytime halt this location spoofing simply tapping the Stop Simulation button. After that, go back to your real location.
Conclusion
As you see, when you are using Grindr XTRA app, you have to stay safe while keeping in your mind the privacy concerns discussed above.
Fortunately, there are several reliable ways to tackle these security and privacy challenges as listed above. We suggest using Dr.Fone (Virtual Location) to all iOS users who want to stay safe while using this renowned Grindr Plus dating app.
