The Rule That Set Bumble Apart Is No More

Bumble is backing away from the rule that set it apart. The dating app on Tuesday said it will now let men send the opening message to women, scrapping its women-must-initiate requirement that has been in place since its 2014 launch. Users will also get 72 hours to respond to a first message, up from 24. NBC News reports the shift comes as Bumble and rival Tinder face slowing growth and declining revenue, with TechCrunch reporting Bumble's Q2 revenue fell 15.2% year-over-year to $210.5 million.

Founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd framed the change as easing pressure, not abandoning a women-centric approach, citing internal research that roughly two-thirds of surveyed women on Bumble prefer that men be the initiators. "Being women-first was never about prescribing just one way to connect. It was about designing an experience with women's needs in mind to create better outcomes for everyone," she said in a statement. Reuters reports the company said tests of the new rules in Canada resulted in higher chat initiation rates, ‌fewer expired chats, and more two-way conversations. Same-sex matches were already exempt from the old rule.