Missing College Student's Family Wants Grindr To Turn Over Data
The family of a missing Duquesne University grad student is demanding that Grindr release all the information it has on their son in hopes of learning more about his disappearance.
Pamela James believes her son, Dakota James, was using the dating app on the night of January 25 when he went missing and wants Pittsburgh police to solicit Grindr for its data.
"Grindr did not provide all the information that we need. They only gave you the minimal [information] that they are required by the so called law. We will continue to fight to get more information," wrote James in a Facebook post.
She didn't specify exactly what kind of data the family's after, but it could be assumed that they want to take a look at the 23-year-old student's message and location history.
“I think Grindr should help in this case any way that they can," said Alistair McQueen, a bartender at local gay bar The Blue Moon.
“I think his family is looking for any information that they can get. I want to make sure we’re kept safe and we stick together."
However, not all believe police have the right to the information, claiming that it would be in breach of Grindr's privacy guidelines.
“This young man is missing. His family is grieving because they don’t know where he is and they’re taking that out on this company. This company, they have rules and regulations and obligations," said Dena Stanley, director of nonprofit organization Trans YouNiting.
Stanley went on to caution people about meeting strangers off hookup apps, saying users should always "let somebody know what's going on" before they meet up.
As part of its initial search, police spoke with someone who'd made contact with James over a social app, but have yet to use any applications to track his movements.
Surveillance footage shows Dakota James walking through Katz Plaza on the evening of January 25, right before he went missing. The video sees him smiling, laughing and texting.
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