Bumble Must Face Privacy Lawsuit Over User Verification Tool

Bumble Inc. lost a bid to beat a privacy lawsuit pending in Chicago over a facial recognition tool that uses photos to check the identities of the dating app’s users.

The potential class action alleges violation of a state law in Illinois, the Biometric Information Privacy Act. The law, known as BIPA, threatens large fines against companies that breach its provisions protecting the privacy of data such as face scans or fingerprints.

Bumble had argued that the case should be dismissed due to a lack of connection with Illinois. A federal judge rejected that argument in a Friday ruling from ...