Data Card
Match Group Settles FTC Lawsuit Over Sharing OkCupid Photos With Facial Recognition Firm Clarifai
Match Group settled an FTC lawsuit over sharing nearly 3 million OkCupid user photos with facial recognition firm Clarifai without user consent, resulting in a permanent prohibition on data practice misrepresentation and ten years of compliance reporting.
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Key Facts
- Nearly 3 million OkCupid user photos were shared with Clarifai in September 2014
- Photos were provided along with location and demographic data without formal contractual restrictions
- The incident was publicly revealed by The New York Times in 2019
Card Text
Match Group settled an FTC lawsuit over unauthorized sharing of nearly 3 million OkCupid user photos with facial recognition company Clarifai. The data sharing occurred in September 2014, with user photos provided alongside location and demographic data without formal contractual restrictions on use. The incident was first publicly reported by The New York Times in 2019. The settlement, filed March 30, 2026, imposes a permanent prohibition on misrepresenting data practices and requires ten years of compliance reporting. The case reinforces FTC enforcement against undisclosed sharing of biometric-adjacent data with third parties.