There are certain kinds of photos users of dating apps tend to loathe, and the suggestive mirror selfie tends to be at the top of that list, somewhere near photos of guys holding a fish and gym selfies. That’s why today, the dating app Bumble has taken action to ban selfies of users posing in their underwear, or while wearing swimsuits indoors. In addition, you can no longer upload photos of just your child, though Bumble hasn’t gone so far as to ban images of children altogether.
Banning pictures of kids on their own makes a lot of sense. After all, the kids didn’t agree to join a dating app – this app is for adults who are 18 or older.
It also limits children’s exposure to potential predators, and respects the children’s right to privacy. However, Bumble will still allow photos of parents and children together, and will continue to leave it up to its users as to whether or not they’ll take the step of blurring out their children’s faces.
Banning mirror selfies, on the other hand? Well, prepare for some backlash.
While many people agree that people who take these kinds of photos are generally the worst (or are on the app because they’re mainly trolling for hookups), there’s something to be said for allowing people to post whatever stupid photo of themselves they’d like.
After all, it’s a great way to weed out the narcissists, isn’t it?
And, hey, maybe sometimes you are just looking for a hookup. Spotting a half-nude mirror selfie certainly seems to indicate that you’d have a better shot at succeeding with that goal by swiping right on these suggestive profiles.
I mean, really, who is Bumble to judge? Everyone’s gotta eat.
Fine, fine. We get it.
Bumble is the app by women, for women, so it’s trying to eliminate some of the skeeviness you’ll find on rival dating apps like its top competitor Tinder. Force the men on Bumble to put their clothes back on, and you’ll at least give the appearance of being a more respectable, more legitimate, dating app.
However, if users absolutely feel the need to pose in some state of undress on their dating profiles, Bumble says that photos in swimsuits are okay if you’re actually – you know – at the beach or pool. Meanwhile, men can still go all beefcake on us by posing shirtless at the gym. Great.
Along with these now-banned images, Bumble also addressed a few other concerns with photos on profiles. It says that faces in your profile pictures must be clearly visible and show your eyes. Plus, while photos with friends are fine, you need to mix in solo photos so people know which person you are in the group, the company notes.
Bumble claims it’s not trying to be the “prude police” with all these bans, but is rather responding to what the data tells it. Mirror selfies don’t actually work, it found. The most swiped left profiles (rejected profiles) are mirror selfie pics, and 86% of the profiles that get reported contain these sorts of photos, too.
The photo moderation features are in effect now, the company says.
Comment