Bumble now lets men message first
What's the story
Bumble, the popular dating app, has announced a major change in its messaging policy. The company will now allow any user in a match to send the first message. This change marks the end of the women-message-first requirement that has defined Bumble for over a decade. The decision comes as part of Bumble's efforts to differentiate itself from other swipe-based platforms amid slowing growth.
Feature updates
Extended reply window and user demand response
Along with the messaging policy change, Bumble is also extending the reply window from 24 hours to a more flexible 72 hours.
The company hopes this will encourage more conversations and reduce matches that expire without interaction.
These changes come as part of Bumble's response to user demands for "more flexibility, less pressure, and more opportunities to create real, meaningful connections."
Strategic shift
CEO's perspective on the update
Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd has described the update as an evolution, not a retreat from the company's original mission.
She said, "While women making the first move was a radical idea, being women-first was never about prescribing just one way to connect."
This change comes after Bumble had already softened its rules with features like "Opening Moves," where women could set a question for men to answer on their profiles.
User engagement
Addressing user fatigue and AI-powered tools
Bumble's latest changes come as part of a wider effort to tackle user fatigue in the online dating industry.
The company has also been working on new features and AI-powered tools to improve user engagement.
Bumble's second-quarter earnings report showed a 15.2% year-on-year revenue drop to $210.5 million and an expected decline in paying customers in Q3.