Sniffies users are concerned about the ‘calendar’ of the Gay Hookup app

From all Gay hookup apps used by Brennan Zubrick, Sniffera cruising app for men interested in casual, sexually positive encounters with other men, is by far his favorite. Some of The most popular kinks Members on stage include rimming, cum playing, and BDSM. “I overwhelmingly prefer the experience I get and the community I have access to,” he told WIRED. But Zubrick, a 40-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., has a bad feeling that might soon change.

Tinder and Hinge Parent company Match Group on Monday announced a $100 million investment in Sniffies. The deal gives Match Group a significant minority stake and the option to become sole owner at a later date. This announcement sparked a storm of reactions from users who are guessing at the company’s direction and the app’s long-term sustainability.

“Sniffies has long held its place in the market as the little guy, catering to a certain section of the gay community, a place where people who might not feel comfortable with Grindr — where selfie or no-chat culture isn’t as rampant — go to connect with other like-minded people in a more direct and discreet way,” Zubrick tells WIRED.

“This partnership is about supporting that, not redefining it,” Blake Gallagher, founder and CEO of Sniffies, said in a statement. statementnoting that the investment will help the platform focus on three key areas that users want: “stronger trust and security, expanded network growth, and continuous product improvements.” According to the agreement, Match Group will provide guidance on the correct roles, procedures and techniques to help Sniffies build on their trust and safety efforts.

But users aren’t buying what Gallagher is selling. the Instagram share The announcement of the news was flooded with negative reactions, with users expressing their concerns about the strategic partnership. “Please don’t let this be a correction for sniffers,” one expressed. “You’ve sold out. Plain and simple. Where do we move on to the next boys?” Added Mark Sundstrom, a user in Philadelphia. Another wrote: “The partnership with Match seems prestigious and very straightforward. I’m very concerned about letting the app be what it is in order to attract investors.” By Tuesday afternoon, comments on the post were closed.

Although it remains to be seen how Gallagher will position Sniffies in the coming months, users are already saying this marks the beginning the end For application. “Straight people shouldn’t even know what a sniffer is He is For fuck’s sake,” one books In the r/askgaybros subreddit. Despite the promises, some say a major company like Match doesn’t ethically align with Sniffies’ independent spirit. On LinkedIn, Top comment Underneath Gallagher’s post he questioned the true intent behind Match Group’s investment. “I’m interested to see how the relationship with Palantir affects Sniffies’ growth. Hopefully this doesn’t become a surveillance app.”

Spencer Rascoff, who became CEO of Match Group in 2025, previously served on the board of directors Palantira defense technology and data mining company that has become “Technological backbone“For the Trump administration.

Sniffies confirms that it will continue to own and control how it stores, processes and protects its user data. According to the company, there are no planned changes to its data practices as part of the investment.

But the outrage highlights the importance of platforms like Sniffies, and what that could mean for a community of people who already feel they have very few options for seeking desire online.

“It’s chaos and it’s obviously predictable. It’s definitely an indicator of its rapid rise, so there’s no shadow, but we’ve seen what happened with Grindrsays Brad Allen, a 34-year-old event producer and creative Club quarantine who joined Sniffies in 2023. “I really encourage them to approach this in a different way in a different way because it’s essential for the cruise community right now.” “I hope the Candy Crush pop-up ads don’t burn too much in the bush.”