Bumble Drops 'Women First' Rule, Lets Men Message First

Bumble is scrapping the signature rule that required women to send the first message, the dating app announced Tuesday, allowing men to initiate conversations for the first time since its 2014 launch.

The change takes effect immediately. Bumble is also extending the window for all users to respond to a first message from 24 hours to 72 hours.

"While women making the first move was a radical idea, being women-first was never about prescribing just one way to connect," founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd said in a statement. "It was about designing an experience with women's needs in mind to create better outcomes for everyone. Today, our community is asking for more flexibility, less pressure, and more opportunities to create real, meaningful connections and that is what this new experience provides."

The company said nearly two-thirds of women surveyed on Bumble said they prefer men to send the first message, and more than half of respondents wanted more time to reply to first messages.

"This evolution also addresses a growing reality of modern dating as people are busier than ever and meaningful opportunities to connect are often lost due to timing, not lack of interest," the company said.

Gay men and lesbian users have always been able to send first messages without restriction, Bumble noted.

The overhaul comes as the online dating industry faces slow growth. Bumble and rival Tinder, owned by Match Group, have both reported consecutive declines in paying users, falling revenue and stock slumps in recent years. Bumble also laid off 30% of its global workforce last year and has been reported to be exploring a sale.

Bumble did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the policy change was tied to the company's broader business struggles.

According to the Pew Research Center, three in 10 Americans report having used an online dating website or app.