WASHINGTON (TND) — The popular dating service Bumble will no longer require its female users to make the first move in heterosexual relationships, a company spokesperson told The National Desk (TND).
Bumble has earned a reputation for putting women in control of the dating scene by only allowing female users to start conversations with matches. Its website says this decision was intended to move away from “old-fashioned power dynamics” while “encouraging equality from the start.”
We’re the only app that makes dating better by putting women’s experiences first,” Bumble’s website reads. “Because when things are better for women, they’re better for everyone.”The service last week implemented “Opening Moves,” a feature which a spokesperson told TND “lightens the load” for female users while still putting them in control. Opening Moves allows females to automatically prompt matches with a preset question to spark conversations, removing the responsibility of initiating exchanges.
“The goal with this update is to continue giving women the agency and freedom to choose how they want to start a conversation with a match,” the spokesperson said. “During early testing, we’re seeing Opening Moves improved meaningful conversations on the app by increasing chat initiation and reply rates, as well as lengthening time spent in conversation.”
In a non-binary or same-gender relationship, both individuals can set and respond to Opening Moves.
The new approach for Bumble comes at a time of dating app “burnout” for young singles, according to Hinge CEO Justin McLeod. McLeod, in an interview with the Financial Times in December, said users are becoming less interested in dating online.
We’re the app that is very squarely trying to address burnout,” he said. “And the key to that is, most simply, quality over quantity. People want to spend more time out on dates, and less time on the app.”Stock of Match Group, the parent company of Tinder and Hinge, is currently trading near all-time lows. The shares, which went for more than $160 in 2021, are now worth $32.
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