Grindr has been used by gay, bi, and transgender men for over ten years in nearly 200 countries. Gay communities in countries where homosexuality is criminalized, which applies to over 70 countries, use Grindr, along with other LGBT dating apps, to connect with each other while avoiding persecution from local authorities. However, in the past few years, gay dating apps have been used by police and anti-LGBT groups to hunt down gay men, resulting in consequences ranging from imprisonment to death.