OkCupid Settles FTC Case Over Misleading Privacy Claims

OkCupid is a Match Group dating platform operated by Humor Rainbow. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission alleged that the platform violated its privacy policy in 2014 by providing users’ photos, demographic information and location data to facial-recognition company Clarifai without notifying users or giving them a chance to opt out. The case underscores that corporate privacy commitments are legally binding.

On March 30, 2026, the FTC filed a settlement agreement in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas covering nearly 3 million user photos and related data, with a monetary penalty of $0. The agreement permanently bars OkCupid and Match Group Americas from misrepresenting how they collect, use and disclose data or provide privacy controls, and requires regular compliance certifications. The FTC voted 2–0 to authorize the complaint and settlement order.