Tinder crashes after Facebook implements new data policy

Facebook estimates that the data of no less than 87 million people was obtained by Cambridge Analytica in what's become quite the scandal. But now it has gone to another level. Tinder has been taken from us. Kind of.

In an attempt to prevent another Analytica-gate, Facebook on Wednesday implemented new measures to regulate the data third-party apps can use and access. Hours later, lonely hearts the world round were reporting they could no longer log in to Tinder.

To get an account on the app, prospective users need to either log in with their phone number or their Facebook account. Given the latter is quicker and allows instant access to a library of photos, which are then used to create your profile, that's the one most people go for.

But users on Wednesday were stuck in purgatory, with the app failing to transition from Facebook authentication to Tinder swiping. 

"A technical issue is preventing users from logging into Tinder. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to have everyone swiping again soon," the company said on Twitter. The problem, Tinder says, has since been fixed.

Tinder is only one of many dating apps which use Facebook for authentication, but none of the other apps, like Bumble, were reported to have experienced the same problem.

The root of the issue is the improper sharing of Facebook data with Trump-aligned consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica. The Cambridge Analytica scandal, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg has called a "breach of trust," has raised questions about Facebook's handling of user data and whether the company is doing enough to protect it. It was first estimated that the data of 50 million people was improperly accessed -- but now that number is up to 87 million.