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HIV Data Protection and Breach at Competitor
Hornet is a gay social network that was created to better the lives of our community. Our company values guided us as we built a product for our LGBTQ community that can improve lives and keep people protected. It should be a fundamental expectation that a company built to serve LGBTQ people would aim to advance our safety and security, not to simply profit off of us or our data.
We go above and beyond what is expected of a traditional company because we are part of the LGBTQ community. We understand the challenge of cultivating a sexuality and gender identity. We have lived through 37 years of the HIV epidemic. People living with HIV have a fundamental right to privacy and that does not end when they use an online platform. One of our guiding principles is finding innovative ways to use technology to combat stigma and discrimination not use technology and data to do harm to people living with HIV.
Hornet values, unequivocally, the trust that our users place in our platform. We never share the sensitive information that our users disclose in their profiles, nor do we use any other identifying information about our users. We invented the Know Your Status (KYS) feature in 2011 to allow users to openly communicate about HIV status and stimulate a conversation around sexual health. This program, participated in by millions of users, is essential to reducing stigma and providing critical prevention and treatment information.
“Building a product for the gay community, should mean working to improve the lives of our community members and keeping our community protected. It should be a fundamental expectation that a company built to serve LGBTQ people would aim to advance our safety and security, not to simply profit off of us,” said Hornet co-founder and president, Sean Howell.
The recent accusations leveled against a gay hook-up app are all the more interesting now that the company in question is no longer owned by members of the LGBTQ community, rather it is now owned and largely operated by KunLun based in China, an ostensibly heterosexual gaming company. That feels far removed from the specific needs of our community.
“As someone who has living with HIV for over 20 years I know how critical privacy is and I am appalled that any company would violate this basic trust, particularly a company that claims to serve the LGBTQ community. My experience with HIV informs all the work I do at Hornet and the needs of people living with HIV are always front of mind.” Alex Garner, Senior Health Innovation Strategist, Hornet.
We respect the privacy and security of ours users and are committed to creating a space for people of all HIV statuses. The online space we create is a community. It is not a resource for third party profiteering. We cultivate an dynamic online community that is supportive and affirming so that people can grow and thrive. Our users put their trust in us, not just around building good technology, but also around doing the right thing and living by a set of values that reflect the community.
love.hornet.com/blog/2018/4/2/hiv-data-protection-and-breach-at-competitor
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