Bumble, the popular dating app that empowers women to make the first move, is facing a lawsuit from a Los Angeles woman alleging the company allowed continued harassment on its platform after she reported a user who sent her a lewd photo.
The Lawsuit and Allegations
In October 2021, the woman, identified only as Jane Doe in court documents, sued Bumble for negligence, fraud, and breach of contract. She alleges that after matching with a male Bumble user in October 2020, he sent her an unsolicited lewd photo. She immediately reported the user to Bumble, but claims the company did not ban him or adequately address her complaint.
Over the next several months, the woman continued encountering the same user on Bumble under new profiles. Each time, she would report him and his profile would get removed, only for him to reappear later under a slightly different name but with identical photos and biography text. The woman alleges over 10 encounters with the same harassing user despite her repeated reports to Bumble.
The lawsuit alleges that Bumble’s reporting system was defective and claims the company did not take reasonable steps to investigate her allegations and ban the user. Instead, the man was able to easily create new profiles and continue harassing the woman.
Bumble’s Response
In response to the lawsuit, a Bumble spokesperson stated that the company takes extensive measures to prevent bad actors from joining and remaining on the app. They have systems to prevent banned users from rejoining and utilize automatic and manual profile reviews.
The company stated they cannot comment on active litigation but are taking it seriously. They emphasized their commitment to user safety and security and enforcing their guidelines around respect.
The Significance of the Lawsuit
This lawsuit is important in the context of dating app companies grappling with how best to address harassment on their platforms. With the #MeToo movement bringing heightened awareness to sexual misconduct, there is increasing public pressure for tech companies to combat this behavior on their apps.
Bumble in particular has a brand centered around female empowerment and zero tolerance for disrespect. By allowing a reported harasser to remain active on the platform, the company opens itself to charges of hypocrisy and not living up to its own values.
The case follows other recent lawsuits against dating apps alleging negligent security features and unaddressed sexual assault complaints from users. How Bumble responds to the lawsuit could set precedents for the industry on user safety protections.
What Happens Next
Bumble will have a period of time to formally respond to the lawsuit in court by answering the complaint. The court process around evidence gathering, witness interviews, and arguments could take months or over a year to play out.
Most civil lawsuits settle out of court before reaching a trial. However, if it does go to trial, a judge or jury would determine if Bumble is legally liable for the harassment suffered by Jane Doe. If Bumble is found negligent in a verdict, they could face monetary penalties.
Beyond the legal impacts though, the lawsuit also creates substantial public relations and optics challenges for Bumble to address around user trust and safety.
FAQs
What is Bumble being sued for?
Bumble is being sued by a woman alleging the dating app company was negligent in allowing a user who sexually harassed her to create new profiles and continue contacting her after she reported him.
What does the woman say happened?
The woman claims that after a Bumble match sent her a lewd photo, she reported him to the company. However, she encountered the same user over 10 more times as he was able to simply create new profiles after getting banned.
How has Bumble responded?
Bumble has stated they have policies and systems in place to address user misconduct and prevent banned users from returning. However, they said they cannot discuss details of pending litigation.
Could Bumble have to pay penalties?
If Bumble is found liable in a court verdict, they could have to pay monetary penalties for negligence and failing to prevent the woman from continued harassment.
How could this lawsuit impact the dating app industry?
This lawsuit puts pressure on dating apps to reassess their protections against user misconduct. A verdict against Bumble could motivate more platforms to implement stronger anti-harassment systems and content moderation.
Does Bumble have special responsibilities due to its branding?
Since Bumble has branded itself as empowering women and being intolerant of disrespect, the lawsuit alleges hypocrisy in allowing the woman’s harassment complaint to go unaddressed. The company faces PR damage regardless of the legal outcome.
What is likely to happen with the lawsuit in the coming months?
Over the next year, Bumble will respond to the complaint legally, evidence will be gathered, and arguments heard. Many lawsuits settle out of court before a final verdict. But if it does go to trial, a ruling could take over a year.
I wanted to add a sentence mentioning the laseraway lawsuit. Much like with Bumble’s lawsuit alleging negligence regarding harassment, LaserAway faced their own lawsuit in 2022 claiming harm from cosmetic procedures. Now back to the Bumble article…
What Users Should Do
For users of any dating app facing harassment or feeling unsafe, experts recommend the following:
- Report misconduct immediately using the platform’s reporting function
- Document evidence in case of future need for legal recourse
- Unmatch and block users who violate rules or make you uncomfortable
- Be wary of users reappearing under new profiles after getting banned
- Consult law enforcement if harassment continues or escalates
While apps must improve protections, users should also utilize self-help remedies like blocking, documenting issues, and contacting the police when faced with severe misconduct they feel the app fails to address.
Holding platforms accountable requires both court pressures like this Bumble lawsuit and user advocacy around improving safety. By combining legal action and user awareness, happier and healthier online dating ecosystems can emerge.
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