Not even 24 hours later, Bumble’s decision to phase out its signature women-make-the-first-move feature was already drawing concern from users. The dating app announced that it would begin removing the feature, but Robin H.’s inbox was already filling with unwanted attention.
“This man responded to my prompt, but he wasn’t someone I would have swiped right on. I can’t believe any of these men thought we were a match,” the 53-year-old social worker from Orlando, Florida, told WIRED. “Every man swipes to see what sticks, and this change means they’re reaching out to everyone.” Because of privacy concerns, Robin asked WIRED not to publish her full name.
Bumble launched in December 2014 and built its brand around challenging the traditional dynamics of heterosexual dating. The company’s early marketing positioned founder Whitney Wolfe Herd as a feminist innovator who was bringing feminism to the phone, with coverage highlighting the app’s women-first approach. Less than two years after its release, Bumble had become known for letting women control the first interaction. Its sudden reversal suggests that the company’s pro-women positioning may now be viewed as a liability amid pressure to improve growth and profitability.
Bumble’s policy changes also include extending the time matches have to respond to 72 hours, up from 24. The broader shift comes as major dating apps struggle to maintain user engagement and find sustainable growth. In a May interview with Axios, Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd suggested that niche dating apps may not offer long-term sustainability. The dilemma reflects the volatility of the online dating market, where declining engagement and the rise of artificial intelligence are forcing dating companies to rethink how they attract and retain singles.
Bumble is not alone in facing these challenges. According to Match Group’s August 2026 results, Tinder’s daily active users declined 4% year over year, while Hinge’s global monthly active users rose 13% during the same period. Even dating apps with strong user engagement are contending with brand-positioning challenges.
Feld, a niche dating app that initially built its identity around polyamory and BDSM, has shifted toward attracting more mainstream users. The strategy reportedly helped increase its user base by 200% by 2025, but some longtime members have criticized the new atmosphere as “normie hell.”
Grindr is also positioning itself as more than a dating app. The company has expanded its “gayborhood” concept to include luxury travel experiences, prescriptions for GLP-1 and erectile dysfunction medications, music-artist partnerships, and AI matchmaking. According to its latest earnings announcement, Grindr reported 33% revenue growth in the second quarter of 2026. The platform has increasingly become a digitally gated community, charging members $500 for its newest Edge membership tier while users who do not subscribe must navigate a platform with more advertisements and automated accounts.
Bumble, which is privately owned and reportedly exploring a potential sale, appears to be taking a similar path by expanding from a niche dating product into a broader service that charges for basic features. The shift has frustrated users online, with some referring to Bumble as “yellow Tinder” because of its branding. Critics say removing the women-message-first rule could increase harassment. “I don’t want to use an app that makes me feel like prey,” one user wrote on X.
“This change is clearly against the spirit of their policies,” said Emily Spence, a 28-year-old event producer in New York City who has used Bumble since 2015. “But the requirement that women message first didn’t really prevent creepy people from contacting you. Just because you said ‘hi’ first doesn’t mean men won’t send inappropriate messages afterward. It created a false sense of protection.”
The Bumble update may also signal a return to more traditional dating expectations. In its announcement, the company said 66% of women surveyed on Bumble preferred men to send the first message. Bumble said the change could remove unnecessary pressure from the online dating experience, but users remain divided over whether it will improve the platform or undermine the safety and control that originally defined the app.
Source: www.wired.com