Dating app Bumble is putting the kibosh on body shaming.
The company announced on Wednesday that the app would be throwing out members caught using “language that could be considered fat-phobic, proficient, racist, coloristic, homophobic, or transphobic.”
The new restrictions apply to direct messages from users and to messages with profiles that openly discriminate against different body types.
“Body shaming is not acceptable on or outside of the Bumble app,” said Bumble. “For those who may not know, body shaming means imposing your opinion of a ‘good body’ on others.”
An algorithm has been set up to highlight words and phrases related to ‘body shaming’ and then reviewed by a live moderator, the Guardian said. Alerts are then sent to users on their first violation – along with sensitivity training materials – before being banned outright.
The Austin, Texas-based company wants to “create a friendlier, more respectful, and equal space on the Internet,” said Naomi Walkland, who heads Bumble’s overseas marketing division. “The key to this has always been our zero tolerance policy for racist and hate speech, offensive behavior and harassment.”
A 2016 survey by WooPlus, a dating app for larger size women, found that 71% of 1,000 users who called themselves “ curvy ” were also shamed by men in other dating apps. More broadly, a 2020 Pew survey found that 33% of women on dating apps were called offensive names by another user.
Fans of the female-focused app Bumble – which urges female users to “take the first step” – say the move is another reason they love the company.
“I’m really excited to see how this works, and EXTREMELY happy to have it launched,” tweeted music journalist Courtney E. Smith.
Some ask other dating apps to take note.
“Maybe @Grindr could follow suit. That app is a cesspool of toxicity around the body and race, ” said a fan of the change.