This investigative report is part of Doberman Media’s commitment to digital safety and human rights, supported by our community of donors.
Following an appeal by NGO “Doberman media”, Hornet removed advertisements for the Russian app MAX and took measures to prevent similar ads from appearing on the platform in the future.
In June, users of Hornet, one of the world’s largest dating apps for gay and bisexual men, began reporting advertisements promoting the Russian service MAX. The appearance of such advertising raised concerns among some users due to the project’s reputation and ongoing questions related to data security and digital rights.
After receiving reports from users, the team at NGO “Doberman media” contacted Hornet and requested clarification regarding the placement of the advertisements.
In response, Hornet Advertising Monetization Manager Pedro Moreno stated that the company initiated an internal review immediately after receiving our inquiry.
“We take concerns about advertising appearing on Hornet seriously and initiated an internal review as soon as we received your inquiry.”
According to Moreno, Hornet delivers advertising through a combination of direct advertising campaigns and automated programmatic advertising networks. The company stated that it had not previously been aware of this specific campaign appearing on the platform.
“We were not previously aware of this specific campaign appearing on our platform. Once it was brought to our attention, we immediately initiated an internal review and took action with our advertising partners to remove this advertiser and prevent it from appearing on Hornet in the future.”
Hornet also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.
“Hornet exists to provide a safe and welcoming experience for LGBTQ+ communities around the world. When advertising is identified that may conflict with that experience or our platform standards, we review it promptly and take appropriate action.”
As a result, Hornet confirmed that the MAX advertisements were removed following the inquiry from NGO “Doberman media”, and that additional measures had been implemented to prevent similar advertising from appearing on the platform in the future.
Why Did This Raise Concerns?
MAX is promoted as a state-backed Russian digital platform and is considered by Russian authorities to be one of the key components of the country’s policy of so-called “digital sovereignty.”
Over recent months, the application has been at the center of several public controversies. Cybersecurity researchers reported that the app may collect additional information about users’ devices and identified mechanisms that raised concerns regarding privacy and surveillance. Some of these findings were later partially confirmed by an independent technical audit conducted by the human rights organization RKS Global.
Experts have also repeatedly pointed to the absence of default end-to-end encryption and the potential risks this may pose to users, particularly members of vulnerable communities.
For LGBTQ+ people, issues of digital security and personal data protection are especially important. This is why the appearance of advertising for such a service within one of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ platforms generated significant public concern.
NGO “Doberman media” will continue monitoring issues related to digital security, human rights, and the protection of LGBTQ+ communities in online spaces.