Bumble returns to original message rules in some countries
Dating app Bumble has been known for “women making the first move” (messaging first) in back-to-back matches since its launch in 2014. Today, the company is reversing a more recent change to let men message first — but only in a few areas.
Last week, Bumble announced the removal of the Opening Moves feature in Mexico and Australia. The feature has been removed automatically for these users.
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Opening Moves was introduced in 2024 as a way for men to first message women and was touted as a way to reduce burnout through dating apps. The company’s former CEO, Lidiane Jones, led the charge after taking over from founder and first CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd, who shortly thereafter returned to the CEO role after Jones had held the role for only a year.
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While the reputation of dating apps as a whole has declined in recent years due to burnout and bad actors, Bumble has been particularly hard hit financially. The company laid off 30 percent of its workforce last year and its stock price has fallen 95 percent since its IPO as of this writing.
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Bumble appears to be returning to its original philosophy, even amid legal challenges. The observer reported that Bumble introduced Opening Moves following lawsuits and legal threats in California claiming the app discriminated against men, according to sources familiar with the matter. The observer says the company is starting to phase out moves in Australia and Mexico due to lower legal risks in those markets.
“At Bumble, we regularly test and innovate our features to foster healthy, respectful relationships while staying true to our women-focused mission and prioritizing member safety,” a Bumble spokesperson told Mashable. “Supporting our community as it moves from matching to messaging is a key part of this work. As with all testing, we evaluate our learnings before considering a wider rollout, ensuring that any changes continue to meet the needs of our community and provide a positive experience for our members.
