Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill, a former top administrator for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has filed a lawsuit claiming that he was unaware that his data could be accessed by others.
Burrill began using the queer dating app Grindr in 2017 and asserts that if he had known that his data was public, he would not have downloaded the app, as his role required a vow of celibacy in accordance with Catholic teachings, which prohibits sexual activity outside heterosexual marriage.
The controversy came to light in 2021 when a Catholic media outlet reported Burrill’s use of Grindr, prompting his resignation. Burrill alleges that Grindr failed to secure his data adequately and did not inform him that third-party vendors could access it. As a result, he claims he has suffered significant reputational damage and loss of employment.
Grindr has not commented on the lawsuit, but a spokesperson told Law360 that the company intends to “respond vigorously” to the allegations, which it described as based on “mischaracterisations of practices relating to user data.”
According to James Carr, Burrill’s attorney, Burrill was “publicly ‘outed’ as gay” due to the data leak. This incident has highlighted concerns about data privacy, particularly within the context of the church, where it has sparked significant debate and shifted traditional power dynamics.
The online newsletter The Pillar, which first reported the data about Burrill, is not named in the lawsuit. The report claimed Burrill frequented gay bars, information allegedly authenticated by an independent firm. The data was reportedly provided to the USCCB by the Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal (CLCR), a Denver-based non-profit. CLCR’s president, Jayd Henricks, stated that the data was purchased “publicly available” to aid bishops in supporting priests and seminarians.
The lawsuit claims that Grindr sold Burrill’s data to various companies and vendors between 2017 and 2021. Burrill’s attorney, Gregory Helmer, hopes the court proceedings will reveal more about how the data was obtained and used.
Despite the controversy, Burrill returned to clerical duties and was appointed as a parochial administrator in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in June 2022. However, his attorney says he is still coping with the aftermath, including “shame and embarrassment.”
In response to the privacy concerns, Burrill’s legal team requested $5 million in compensation from Grindr, which was declined, leading to the lawsuit filed on July 18. They also seek a court order preventing the app from sharing user data without explicit consent.
Experts like Chris Hoofnagle from the University of California at Berkeley highlight that many users are unaware of the extent to which companies share their data, often without clear disclosure. Anton Dahbura from Johns Hopkins University notes that a lack of stringent data privacy regulations in the US compounds this issue.
Burrill’s case is not isolated; Grindr has faced similar allegations, including a lawsuit over sharing users’ HIV statuses and claims from a former chief privacy officer about concerns over data security.
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