Contrary to other dating apps in the market, this one makes privacy its stronghold
We remember cribbing about men on dating apps to a friend back in July - who, on the other hand, had only good experiences back in France. Let's just say, ours was weird enough to set our bio to "Oh, does your wife know you're here?" Our friend then quickly came up with a solution. "Have you tried Bumble?" she asked.
ADVERTISEMENT
We wondered how much of a difference another dating app would make, but her answer proved to be a good enough argument. "Women have to make the first move, and it's only available for iOS users," she said. We smiled, because at least we didn't have to justify selling our kidneys to buy an iPhone to potential mates.
The app won't let you upload an unclear image of yourself as the first profile shot
The birds and the bees
The sign-up process was like any other app, but what set Bumble apart was the number of options to establish intent. First up, the app has three modes - date, bff, and bizz. You can create one profile and switch between the three whenever you feel like. Even within the date mode, you can choose what you're looking for - something casual, a relationship, and if you don't know yet, there's an option for that as well. Profiles can also be verified through a face scan, so you'll know if Zac Efron actually right-swiped on you.
The 'my move makers' section
There is a range of badges where you can add details of your drinking and smoking habits, religious and political beliefs as well as basic information like height, exercise routine and education level. Plus, there's a section called "my move makers" that lets you answer a bunch of random questions such as your go-to song or a must-see movie. And there's a bio to be written, of course. We decided to go ahead with our Tinder one at first. After a few months of encountering detailed profiles of quant bros, globetrotters, and NRIs - like most men in their early 20s on most platforms - we explicitly stated that we dig bios, not obituaries. And so, we matched with a neuroscientist.
A Bumble notification
Saving private... info
Bumble's pros definitely lie in its active effort to make this space safer for women while letting us make our own decisions. You can hide your name if you want to or link your Instagram and Spotify without giving out your username. They're treading the fine line between establishing authenticity and privacy, and manage to do it well. The only downside is the fact that they aren't gender-inclusive, and are restricted to two options i.e. male and female.
We believe that the existing dating pool isn't the app's fault per se - there's only so much that algorithms can help with. Why do we keep returning to Bumble? Because as a woman, it really doesn't give you as much anxiety as other apps. And props to the copywriter for their cleverly-written notifications. They're cute.
Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
