Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill, a Wisconsin priest, has filed a lawsuit against the queer dating app Grindr. He resigned from his position as the top administrator of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in 2021 after an outing incident.
Burrill accuses Grindr of selling his app data to vendors without his consent, leading to the exposure of his activities outside the app.
Burrill’s lawsuit, as reported by the Washington Post, emphasizes the “significant damage” to his reputation, highlighting the conflict between his private activities and his public vow of celibacy, given the Catholic Church’s stance against homosexual acts.
The suit asserts that The Pillar, a Christian news website, published an exposé on his visits to gay bars and use of Grindr, which it claims to have verified using data traced back to him.
According to the lawsuit, the data came from Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal (CLCR). This Christian nonprofit bought data from queer dating apps to identify Church leaders who violated their vows. This raises concerns about Grindr’s privacy practices, suggesting the app sold the data to third parties.
Burrill contends he would not have used Grindr had he been aware that his data might become public. “It’s reprehensible to have that decision taken out of your hands and thrust into the public realm,” James Carr, one of Burrill’s attorneys, told the Washington Post.
In June, in response to the humiliation and damage from the outing, Burrill requested $5 million in damages from Grindr. After the company denied his request, he filed a lawsuit on July 18. This lawsuit demands damages and advocates for policies that protect user data from being disclosed publicly without consent.
Grindr has denied the allegations and stated it would “respond vigorously,” maintaining that it does not make user data publicly available. Meanwhile, CLCR has admitted to obtaining data from Grindr in the past to expose clergy members but denied providing any data to The Pillar.
The case has ignited widespread criticism, with many labelling The Pillar’s investigative tactics as dangerously homophobic.
