ITNEWS – Aug 26 – A software engineer at payments processor Stripe found a vulnerability in Bumble. By learning how Bumble's application programming interface (API) works, Robert Heaton found a way to pinpoint users' exact location, bypassing the safeguards in the app designed to prevent this. Heaton reported the vulnerability to Bumble via bug bounty site HackerOne. A fix was deployed within 72 hours, and Heaton was awarded $2K, which he donated to charity.
Month: August 2021
Tinder CEO Jim Lanzone on Reaching Gen Z Users With ‘Swipe Night’
VARIETY.COM – Aug 26 – Tinder CEO Jim Lanzone explains why the dating app is embracing streaming video apps and other multimedia tools on the latest episode of Variety podcast “Strictly Business.” Lanzone discusses the origin of Tinder’s original series “Swipe Night” and how its choose-your-own-adventure format helps facilitate matches for users. The former CEO of CBS Interactive, who launched CBS All Access in 2014, also weighs in on the state of play in the streaming wars.
‘Vaccinated’ Badges Pop up on All Sorts of Apps
WALL STREET JOURNAL – Aug 26 – More apps are adding features that let people display their Covid-19 vaccination status and search for other users and businesses that favor vaccines. Grindr said that starting in September, it will let users add their vaccination status to their profiles and filter their searches to find other vaccinated people. Hinge and Tinder both allow users to share their vaccination status on their profiles. The spread of "vaccinated" badges on user profiles might influence others to get vaccinated, according to digital experience designers, who call the phenomenon "social proof."
by Ann-Marie Alcántara
See full article at Wall Street Journal
Announcing LTR Online Workshop Next Wednesday
OPW – Aug 26 – LTR stands for Love, Technology, Relationships. This is where the dating industry meets to learn, and share. In September we're doing something special. You wanted a more interactive experience so I'll run an LTR Online Workshop. We have such considerable brainpower at LTR conferences… we'll unlock this, and you'll connect more meaningfully.
This is the first-ever LTR Online Workshop and is on Wed 1st September starting 11:30 am EST (New York). We have a half-hour of networking on virtual tables, 90 mins getting into your most burning challenges and opportunities, and then an optional final half-hour of networking. 2.5 hours all-in.
LTR is free, and by invite only.
If you hold a full-time leadership role at an Internet dating company then you are welcome to join IDEA for free and welcome to join LTR events for free. See the LTR Online Workshop overview and invite page here. Email mark@courtlandbrooks.com to RSVP for LTR. There are 50 places only this time.
LTR is kindly sponsored by RealMe, vPaaS by Meet Group, and Courtland Brooks
BlueCity Q2 2021 Results
GLOBE NEWSWIRE – Aug 24 – Q2 revenues reached RMB292M ($45.2M), up 18% YOY. Net loss was RMB35M ($5.4M), compared with net loss of RMB3.3M in the Q2 2020. Monthly active users of BlueCity's portfolio apps reached 8.3M, up 29.3% YOY. Total paying users reached 724K, up 58.1% YOY. For the full year 2021, the Company expects total revenues to be between RMB1.15B to RMB1.2B, representing YOY growth of 12% to 16%.
MuslimMatch.com Apps Celebrate 1M Downloads
PR NEWSWIRE – Aug 24 – The MuslimMatch.com apps have seen a 40% increase in registrations in the past year during the pandemic. MuslimMatch.com has 41% women and 59% male members. In terms of registrations, the top five countries are the US, UK, France, Germany and UAE. With 7 region specific Muslim dating and matchmaking sites, MuslimMatch.com, headquartered in Dubai, caters to 1.8B Muslims worldwide. It's a multilingual platform available in 9 international languages including English, French, German, Dutch and Russian.
In Online Dating, Being an Entrepreneur Is an Advantage
INC – Aug 24 – According to data from OkCupid, more people have been proudly owning the title "entrepreneur" while looking for love online this past year, says Melissa Hobley, the company's global CMO. And for some, it's a clear advantage. From July 2020 to July 2021, use of the terms "entrepreneur" and "self-employed" in the US OkCupid profiles increased by 10%. And users who identify themselves as entrepreneurs in their profiles have a better chance of getting a match's phone number, according to the company.
POM Matches Users Based on Their Music Taste
STARTUPS.CO.UK – Aug 23 – POM is a London-based dating app that seeks to match users based on their emotional response to music. The app matches users based on their imported Spotify and Apple Music libraries and six seemingly random questions that will build the user's emotional profile. The app is free to use with premium membership launching soon. The app will also introduce 'POM parties' users will be able to attend to meet people who aren’t on the app, but also as an icebreaker for meeting their matches.
Hold the Spot: LTR Is on Wed 1st Sep
OPW – Aug 23 – The next LTR online conference is on Wed 1st Sep, 11:30am-2pm EST, and is open to all IDEA and OSCA members. So hold the spot on your calendar. I'll get invites out this week. - Mark Brooks
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