MASHABLE – The "Review Before You Send" feature prompts users to think before messaging, mirroring a similar feature on Tinder, called "Are You Sure?" A compatibility feature now showcases a user's interests upfront, inspired by the success of Bumble's collaboration with Spotify, which highlighted shared music tastes. Bumble also added a "Recommend to a Friend" option. For Premium users, the "Best Bees" feature suggests daily potential matches using machine learning.
Category: Outlets – Mashable
Millennials Prioritize Sex More Than Gen Z Does, Survey Says
MASHABLE – eharmony's Dating Diaries report, based on a survey of ~2K people, highlights generational differences between millennials and Gen Z in attitudes towards sex and dating. The report shows that 91% of millennials in relationships have sex at least once a week, compared to 78% of Gen Z. However, Gen Z is more sexually explorative and is more likely to have unprotected sex. Millennials prioritize sexual chemistry, while Gen Z values emotional connection before engaging in sex. Gen Z is also more likely to use dating apps and social media for meeting partners and learning new things for sexual experiences, but 48% report experiencing dating app fatigue.
Bumble BFF Will Be a Standalone App
MASHABLE – BFF and Bizz have historically been available on the same app as Bumble Date, but according to a source, that's going to change. Bumble has been testing a standalone version of the BFF app in the UK and select Asian markets. The standalone app is expected to launch in the U.S. this summer. BFF represents 15% of the app's monthly active users.
Memes Are a Love Language, Hinge Says
MASHABLE – According to a survey by Hinge, memes have become a popular love language among daters. The survey, which involved 2K users, revealed that sending memes is the top preferred way to flirt before and after a first date. ~73% of respondents use memes to determine if they share a sense of humor with their match, while 60% prioritize understanding their match's "meme humor" before going on a date. Additionally, 93% believe that memes reveal a potential partner's sense of humor, which is considered an important factor in relationships by 92% of daters.
Bumble Updates Spotify Feature to Encourage Musical Compatibility
MASHABLE – Bumble has updated its Spotify feature to enhance musical compatibility among users. With this update, users can share their "Top Artists" with potential matches, making it easier to identify common interests. Since 2016, Bumble has offered Spotify integration, and a majority of U.S. users have linked their accounts. The feature is particularly popular among Gen Z users, and those with linked accounts are more likely to receive right swipes.
Bumble Launches Mental Health and Self-care Badges
MASHABLE – May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and dating app Bumble is kicking it off with a new set of Interest Badges and Prompts about self-care and mental well-being. Interest Badges on Bumble let users signal to other users what they care about, while Prompts let them show a little personality and can be good conversation starters. Six new Badges to choose from are "Therapy," "Mindfulness," "Deep chat," "Nutrition," "Sleeping well," and "Time offline." New Prompts include, "My mental health game changer was…" and "I'm prioritizing my mental health by…" According to a Bumble survey, 55% of respondents said it's important to be open about mental health when connecting with others.
Bumble Says UK Cyber Flashing Bill Isn’t Enough
MASHABLE – Bumble, along with UN Women UK, TV personality Amy Hart, and the magazine Grazia, are calling for a change in the UK's proposed Online Safety Bill (OSB). The current legislation concerning cyber flashing, or sending unsolicited nude images without consent, is based on whether the sender had harmful intent. This is difficult to validate and prove, Bumble and supporters say, and would give room for those who cyber flash to claim it was a "joke." Instead, Bumble's campaigning for the cyber flashing portion of OSB to be consent-based. Almost half (48%) of UK adults aged 18-24 have received a sexual photo they didn't ask for, according to a 2021 survey of 1,800 respondents in England and Wales.
Why Age-verification Bills Won’t Work
MASHABLE – Recently, age-verification bills for porn sites have been making headlines, but experts argue that they won't work and may even harm online privacy and free speech. Instead, they suggest better ways to protect children online. Age-verification bills, such as Louisiana's Act 440 and Utah's SB 287, require visitors to sites with a significant portion of adult content to prove their age using a commercial age-verification system (AVS). Utah has also passed two other bills, SB 152 and HB 311, which require age verification for all users on social media sites; parental permission to access social media for those under 18; and social media curfews for under-18s. These are supposed to go into effect in March 2024, but social media platforms are expected to challenge these laws beforehand. Despite good intentions, these bills have numerous issues:
- Difficult to enforce: Websites based in other countries may not comply, and users can easily bypass restrictions with VPNs.
- Privacy risks: Intrusive and ineffective AVSs may expose people's private information and browsing habits.
- Domino effect: If multiple states adopt different verification methods, it could lead to a complex and restrictive system affecting everyone online.
These bills could also negatively impact adult content creators, who already face censorship and loss of income due to similar legislation like FOSTA-SESTA. Instead of relying on age-verification bills, experts recommend parents take a more proactive approach to protect children from adult content.
Tinder Backs UK Government Campaign to Fight Loneliness
MASHABLE – Tinder is supporting the UK government campaign, Better Health: Every Mind Matters, to reduce the stigma of loneliness among young people. A survey by Tinder of ~1,000 18-25 year old singles found that "companionship" was the top "dating label" they are looking for when using apps. According to England's Community Life Survey 2021/22, 89% of 16-24 year olds have felt lonely at least once. Tinder users in England will see in-app messaging about resources on the National Health Service's Better Health: Every Mind Matters Loneliness page, and a series of influencers will talk about loneliness. The partnership aims to reach more young people with information and resources to help alleviate loneliness.
Anupam Mittal Shares How He Managed to Raise Funds in Early Days
MASHABLE – From chasing VCs to becoming one, Mittal has become more than a matchmaker. His Shaadi.com venture is India's largest matchmaking platform, where Mittal constantly innovates with shifts in times and technologies. His gig as a Shark at the popular business reality Shark Tank India has made him a household name. Mittal laments that back in 2006 when he first stepped out to raise funds for Shaadi.com, there were hardly any VCs in India. He packed his suitcase and went to Silicon Valley, where all the Private Equity biggies and VCs were huddled. But it was way tougher than he could imagine. Mittal doesn't reveal the name of the first VC but says that the process took 4-5 months and they could garner the required funds.
