April 30, 2010 | Online

Why blame Grindr for hook-up horror stories?

Grindr - the famous iPhone application that lets you find gay men in your area - has been getting some bad press lately. But is it deserved?

First, a 15-year-old was sexually assaulted by a 54-year-old man in Vancouver, British Columbia. Police blamed the geo-tagging iPhone app for the incident, saying it led the predator to the teenager. Bren Tynan, 54, from Vancouver has been charged with sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.

Grindr shot back that the horrible incident wasn't its fault. The company released a statement saying: “[We have] a very strict 18 years-and-over terms of use policy that all users of our service must agree to. Additionally we actively monitor for potential violations of this policy and bar anyone who violates its terms. We voluntarily have this policy in place to help protect the safety of minors. Unfortunately, as with any Web technology, people can find ways to bypass even the most robust control mechanisms.”

Now reports have indicated a second incident, in this case a murder, may have resulted from a hook-up made through a smart phone app, though police did not name the app. Phoenix police discovered the body of Mark Woodland, 54, who had been beaten and stabbed repeatedly.

His roommate said that Woodland had texted him that night and said he was picking someone up who he had met through a social network. A 19 year-old, Tommy Reed, was later taken into custody and his phone was logged into evidence.

While the name of the application or site used for the hook-up was not released, some gay blogs named Grindr in their stories. Understandably, grindr was not happy about the connection being made to its product. According to Queerty, several blogs were told by Grindr officials to remove any reference to their app and the murder in Phoenix.

How can Grindr, or any hookup tool, be held responsible for the actions of the people who use its services? Meeting at a bar, through Craigslist, in a park, or through an online dating site comes with the risks inherent in agreeing to meet up with a stranger. With tools like Grindr it is now easier than ever to have a quickie -- just be aware that's not what everyone is looking for. 

Iphone app maker condemns sex attack on B.C. boy [Vancouverite]

Date arranged via social network leads to Phoenix man's death [AZ Family]