Men can now make the first move on Bumble:Dating app changes ‘women-first rule’ as 66% of females prefer them to message first

For years, Bumble’s identity was built around one simple idea: women should make the first move. But that rule is now changing. The dating app says its users’ preferences have evolved, and it wants to make starting a conversation easier for everyone. The company says a recent survey found that 66 percent of women prefer men to make the first move. The change comes as dating apps face growing competition, user fatigue and slowing growth. Men can now message first on Bumble
When Bumble launched in 2014, it stood out by giving women control over who started a conversation. The idea was to give women more control over their dating experience and reduce unwanted messages. That will no longer be the only option. Under the new system, either person can start the conversation after a match. This means men no longer have to wait for a woman to send the first message. Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd said in a statement: While women making the first move was a radical idea, 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. You will also get more time to reply Bumble is making another change that could make online dating feel a little less rushed. The app is increasing its reply window from 24 hours to 72 hours. Previously, matches could expire if a conversation was not started within 24 hours. Bumble says giving users more time could reduce the pressure of having to come up with a response immediately. Bumble says early tests showed positive results Bumble tested the new approach in Canada before expanding it more widely. According to the company, the test resulted in: The company believes these changes could make the dating experience more comfortable and less stressful for users. Why is Bumble changing its dating strategy? The move comes at a difficult time for dating apps. Users are increasingly complaining about dating-app fatigue, while companies in the sector are looking for new ways to keep people engaged. Bumble’s latest financial results also show the pressure facing the company. Its second-quarter revenue fell 15.2 per cent year-on-year to $210.5 million, while the company expects its number of paying users to fall in the third quarter. Match Group, the parent company of Tinder, has also reported challenges with user growth. For Bumble, changing how conversations begin could be one way to make the app feel more flexible and appealing to users. Bumble wants to attract Gen Z with more changes Messaging isn’t the only area Bumble is exploring. The company says it is looking at a future with less reliance on traditional swiping, while also putting more focus on real-world dating events and AI-powered features. The goal is to appeal to younger users, particularly Gen Z, who are increasingly looking for different ways to meet potential partners. AI is also changing online dating AI is also changing the dating industry, with apps like Overtone using AI matchmaking instead of traditional profiles and endless swiping.
Bumble’s move to let men message first shows how dating platforms are rethinking everything from matching to starting conversations to keep users engaged.