Bumble is making a major U-turn, changing the decades-long rule for people using the dating app

Believe it or not, it’s been a decade since Bumble launched and women were urged to make the first move through the dating app.

A lot has changed since then, but it seems like finding your perfect match on the internet is more popular than ever these days – so a few industry giants are going back to the drawing board to keep driving interest.

For example, Tinder has launched a new exclusive plan in recent months, which lets you message people you haven’t matched with – for a cost of £4.99.

Not to be outdone, Hinge has added a ‘Hidden Words’ feature that automatically filters out creepy messages from weirdos, so it’s only right that Bumble has something up its sleeve too.

But even the most seasoned dating app users probably wouldn’t have guessed that the networking app would lose its unique selling point, which is arguably largely responsible for making it so successful.

Its founder, Whitney Wolfe Herd, will become the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire at the age of 31 after the company made its stock market debut in 2021?

The whole reason the businesswoman created the app after leaving Tinder was to create a landscape where the ball is in the women’s court, rather than the men’s court, which is a safe space where a digital romance can blossom.

Bumble celebrates its 10th anniversary with a minor overhaul (Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

In an open letter to users in 2020, Wolfe Herd said: “When I founded Bumble, it was because I saw a problem I wanted to help solve. It was 2014, but so many of the smart, amazing women in my life were still waiting until men ask them out, write down their number or start a conversation on a dating app.

“Despite all the progress women have made in the workplace and in power relations, the gender dynamics of dating and romance still seemed so outdated. I thought, what if I could turn that on its head? What if women made the first move, and sent the first message?”

It’s the whole premise of the app: women are the ones who start conversations, and according to Bumble’s website, more than three billion messages have been sent to date, so the ladies have clearly enjoyed it over the past decade.

But Bumble has now announced a dramatic turnaround in terms of its female-led approach, as men can now also make the first move when it comes to striking up a conversation.

Guys can now also message women first (Getty stock image)

Ladies looking for love can set a prompt, which guys can then respond to and flirt with.

The feature, called ‘opening gestures’, is part of a complete overhaul of the app that new CEO Lidiane Jones announced on Tuesday (March 30).

Discussing Bumble’s revamp with CNN, she said: “We see a greater need for authentic human connections.

“I don’t expect the number of people using online dating to decline, on the contrary, but there is a higher bar… So we see it as a great call to action to focus on our mission.”

Jones thinks the addition of ‘opening moves’ will keep the app true to itself, while also giving boys something more to engage with.

Female users have the option to use the feature but can continue to initiate conversations if they wish.

For non-binary users, or for users looking for a same-sex match, both people can set and respond to an opening move.

*Makes a bunch of guys line up to redownload Bumble*

Featured image credits: Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images/Getty Stock

Topics: Bumble, Dating Trends, Sex and Relationships, Technology