Chrissy Boals | Art Director
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Bumble

Bumble (Student Work)

Dating apps are a hotbed for inappropriate conversation. It can be uncomfortable for people to recognize their own problematic behaviors, and although some forms of racism, sexism, and transphobia are typically called out, there are plenty of micro-aggressions that aren’t. (And truly, it’s not the responsibility of those impacted to educate.)

Bumble is in a unique position to get young adults to rethink their interpersonal interactions and learn about the conscious and unconscious choices they make.

It’s time to change the language.

:30 Launch Spot

Preroll and Social Video

 
 

In App Ads

App Updates

When people receive messages on Bumble, there is no way to report a message until it’s already been read, and the damage has already been done. Using AI technology, Bumble can detect certain phrases and words and not only prompt a user not to send the message, but give a warning to the receiver so they never have to see the message if they do not want to.

Any questions that people have about these notifications in the app will lead them to a new section on Bumble’s site where they educate people on micro-aggressions and explain the changes that have been made to the app.

App updates from the sender’s side

AI technology flags the word “exotic” and makes the sender wait 5 seconds before they can send the message.

When a user clicks “More Info” they will be led to this new section of the Bumble website. This section explains what identity fetishization is and highlights some of the updates to the app.

Near the end of the 5 seconds, the sender will be notified that if their message is found to contain identity-charged language, their account will be suspended.

If the message is sent and found to violate the terms, the user will no longer be able to contact the receiver and their account will be suspended for 24 hours. After the third offense, their account will permanently be suspended.

App updates from the receiver’s side

In order to give the receiver the power to not see any message they do not want to, alerts will be shown that indicate the type of language that was indentified.

If the receiver taps the alert, the message will be partially revealed to give the receiver one more opt-out point.

Users will still have the opportunity to report the message after it has been read, but report options are now available before viewing the message as well.

Once the message is reported, the sender will no longer be able to contact the receiver.

Learned how to correctly say fetishization with Shaw Schiappacasse (CW) and Lauryn Goodlett (XD)