Goose denies claims it used AI-generated men to promote gay dating app

Goose, a dating and friendship app aimed at gay men, has been accused of using AI-generated accounts to draw people to the platform.

In an investigation published by Wired, reporters alleged that Goose relied on inauthentic profiles for promotion. Goose has denied the claims.

The app was created by model-influencer Derek Chadwick and former BeReal growth and community manager David Aliagas. It is positioned as a less hookup-focused alternative to Grindr and says it is built around the goal of lasting relationships. At present, Goose is focused on New York City.

Wired said it found “more than two dozen” accounts that appeared to have been generated with AI. Some of the profiles highlighted in the report were no longer available, suggesting they had been deactivated.

The outlet said certain avatars were assessed with “greater than 90 percent confidence” as AI-generated. It also reported that the accounts had unusually low usage and abnormal follower-to-following ratios.

Wired further said the accounts seemed to be part of a wider network of attractive, apparently AI-made male influencers promoting the app. According to the report, some contacted gay men by direct message or added them to Close Friends Stories. The report also said many of the accounts regularly commented on one another’s photos using the same heart and fire emojis.

One man who spoke to Wired, Ryan Cheam, said he initially believed he was dealing with “a normal gay guy”. He said suspicion grew when the account invited him to join a “curated network of guys” on Goose. Cheam told the outlet:

“On one hand I’m flattered that I’m their target audience. But the need to essentially bait gay guys into signing up feels really sketchy.”

Goose’s own guidelines tell users to “stay authentic” and prohibit sharing content created with “generation or content-altering tools”. The Federal Trade Commission prohibits using AI-generated accounts to impersonate real people and create fake endorsements.

Neither Goose nor Chadwick responded to Wired’s request for comment. However, a company spokesperson gave The Advocate a statement defending the app.

“Goose is disrupting the gay app space by creating a place where real people can make real friends, dates, and community – our team hand-picked every person who received an invite to our app and we are proud of the community we are building,” the spokesperson said.

“We work 24/7 to keep our app safe and free of the fake profiles that have soured other platforms. Clearly our competitors are taking notice.”

The app has also faced scrutiny over its terms and conditions. It includes a “Member Content License and Waiver” that allows Goose to use a user’s “user name, image, voice, and likeness”, as well as disappearing photos shared on the app.

Reacting on X, one user said: “So this is an insane privacy concern. For everyone else using the app, this means Goose can do whatever they want with any photos/date you upload to the app. Yes – that includes the disappearing ones.”

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PinkNews said it had reached out to Goose for comment.