The Bumble Dating App Just Banned Photos With Guns in Them
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Organizations across the country have been addressing gun violence in their own ways in recent days, and now Bumble is stepping up to the plate. The company that created the popular dating app, which was built "with safety in mind," announced March 5 that they would be banning guns across all platforms.
Bumble began originally as a dating app designed to flip gender dynamics on their head by giving women the power to make the first move. It has since evolved into a networking platform to help people find new friends and even career opportunities in addition to romantic partners.
"We just want to create a community where people feel at ease, where they do not feel threatened, and we just don't see guns fitting into that equation," Whitney Wolfe Herd, Bumble's founder and chief executive, told The New York Times. She also acknowledged that most gun owners are "hobbyists" and don't support gun violence, noting that the issue is "not super black and white." However, rather than simply ignore it, Bumble is doing something about it. The new policy will mean that existing and new gun-related content will be removed. Some other weapons, like knives, will also be censored. The release states:
Bumble was founded with safety in mind. From the start, our mission has been to build a social network rooted in respect and kindness. Online behavior can both mirror and predict how people treat each other in the real world. Bumble has a responsibility to our users and a larger goal to encourage accountability offline.
In the past, when we've had an opportunity to make our platform safer, we've taken action, banning hate speech and inappropriate sexual content from the Bumble app. As mass shootings continue to devastate communities across the country, it's time to state unequivocally that gun violence is not in line with our values, nor do these weapons belong on Bumble.
From today on, we will begin the process of moderating all new and previously uploaded photos for the presence of guns. Our terms and conditions will be updated to reflect this decision.
Bumble's statement announcing banned gun content also noted that the new restrictions will exclude "users in military or law enforcement in uniform." Furthermore, Bumble pledged to make a $100,000 donation to March For Our Lives, an initiative founded in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, which was started and led by students across the country seeking to address the issue of gun violence.