Sniffies’ Users Worry About a ‘Straightification’ of the Gay Hookup App

Of all gay dating apps that Brennan Zubrick uses, Sniffies, a cruising app for men interested in discreet, sex-positive casual encounters with other men, is by far his favorite. Some of the most popular kinks among members of the platform include edging, cum play, and BDSM. “I much prefer the experience I get and the community I can access,” he told WIRED. But Zubrick, 40 and based in Washington, D.C., has a bad feeling that could soon change.

Match Group, the parent company of Tinder and Hinge, announced a $100 million investment in Sniffies on Monday. The deal gives Match Group a significant minority stake and the choice to eventually become sole owner. The announcement sparked an intense storm of backlash from users questioning the company’s direction and the long-term sustainability of the app.

“Sniffies has long held its position in the market as the little guy, catering to a specific part of the gay community and it’s a place where people who might not be comfortable with Grindr – where no face-picture and chat culture reigns – go to connect with other like-minded people in a more direct and discreet way,” Zubrick told WIRED.

“This partnership is about supporting that, not redefining it,” Sniffies founder and CEO Blake Gallagher said in a statement, noting that the investment will help the platform focus on three key areas users want: “stronger trust and security, expansive network growth, and continued product improvements.” Under the agreement, Match Group will provide guidance on appropriate roles, procedures and technologies to help Sniffies develop their trust and safety efforts.

But users don’t buy what Gallagher sells. The Instagram post announcing the news was flooded with negative reactions, with users expressing concern over the strategic partnership. “Please don’t let this come down to sniffles,” one voiced. “You’re sold. Plain and simple. Where do we move on to the next boys?” added Marc Sundstrom, a user from Philadelphia. “The partnership with Match seems very gentrified and blunt. Very concerned about the app being allowed to be what it is in order to woo investors,” wrote another. As of Tuesday afternoon, comments on the post had been deleted.

While it remains to be seen how Gallagher will position Sniffies in the coming months, users are already saying this marks the beginning of the end for the app. “Straight people shouldn’t even know what Sniffies are East for goodness sake,” one wrote in the r/askgaybros subreddit. And despite the promises, some say a big company like Match is not ethically aligned with Sniffies’ independent spirit. On LinkedIn, the first comment under Gallagher’s post questioned the true intent behind Match Group’s investment. “I’m interested to see how the Palantir ties affect 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 of Palantir, the defense technology and data mining company that has become a “technology backbone” of the Trump administration.

Sniffies maintains that it will continue to own and control how its user data is stored, processed and protected. According to the company, no changes are planned to its data practices as part of the investment.

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

“It’s a mess and obviously that’s to be expected. It’s certainly an indicator of its rapid rise, so no shade, but we saw what happened with Grindr,” says Brad Allen, a 34-year-old events producer and creator of Club Quarantine who joined Sniffies in 2023. “I’m really pushing them to sail differently, because it’s essential for the cruising community now. Hopefully the Candy Crush pop-up ads don’t don’t shine too brightly in the bushes.”