Bumble

Bumble stands with Planned Parenthood. The woman-centric, feminist-leaning dating app led by Whitney Wolfe raised $28,747 for the nonprofit organization by harnessing the power of Instagram.

On Friday October 21, Bumble posted an image to the social network that said: “For every like this post gets, Bumble will donate a dollar to Planned Parenthood.” In the caption, the company was careful to note that it wasn’t “a political post.”

“Our team is a mixing pot, some of us are republicans, some are democrats, some are independents, and some aren’t even from America, but every single one knows how important it is for women to have safe and affordable healthcare,” reads the note. “At the end of the day, women’s rights are fundamental human rights.”

Think about your least favorite photos on dating profiles. There’s the group shot where it’s impossible to tell who the subject is supposed to be. There’s the picture of a pet or an inanimate object that doesn’t include the subject at all. There’s the unsolicited dick pic sent in messages.

And there’s the shirtless mirror selfie. It’s not only the butt of countless Internet jokes, it’s also the most left-swiped profile picture on Bumble. A full 86% of reported profiles on Bumble include mirror selfie photos. It got the Bumble team thinking…

If they’re not enriching the dating app experience, why allow them at all?

Even the rich and famous have a hard time meeting new people to date. According to Teen Vogue, model and reality TV star Kendall Jenner has a profile up on popular female-centric dating app Bumble.

This isn’t the first time a celebrity has put up a public profile on a dating app. Hillary Duff had a profile on Tinder and was filmed dating a few guys she met on the app for her reality TV show. Lily Allen and Lindsay Lohan have been public about their profiles and experiences using Tinder, too. And Kendall’s older sister Kourtney put a profile on Bumble, and was encouraged by sister Kylie to start looking for dates via the app.

Bumble has been making big moves this year. First, in an effort to even the playing field, the app announced that male users must respond to women’s messages within 24 hours or they lose the match. CEO Whitney Wolfe also announced plans to take Bumble beyond dating into the world of business networking.

The company’s latest update is designed to prevent its users from falling prey to catfishers. How they intend to do it is the fun part.

Bumble’s new plan to outsmart scammers is a photo feature that prompts users to verify their accounts by submitting selfies. Yes, it’s 2016 and selfies are here to save us all.

Astute readers will note that there are still several months of 2016 left, nevertheless, the US Dating Awards have announced this year’s big winners.

Established in 2014 in the UK, the Dating Awards recognize both newcomers and established names in the field. This year marked the first US Awards show in New York City, where journalists, websites, events companies, and bloggers came together to celebrate 2016’s best achievements in Dating Technology, Marketing, Media, Customer Service, Expertise and Entrepreneurship.

The judging panel consisted of a variety of dating experts and industry professionals. Caroline Brealey, founding matchmaker of London dating agency Mutual Attraction, served as head judge. She was joined by Charly Lester, Founder and CEO of the UK Dating Awards, and Charreah Jackson, international coach and the Lifestyle and Relationships Editor for ESSENCE magazine, amongst others.

Bumble Boost with BeeLine, Rematch, and BusyBee.

Female-focused dating app Bumble has been available for free to its users, but now the company is offering a premium paid service for those who want to use its brand new features.

The paid version of the app includes three important features aimed at competing with other popular “tiered” dating apps like Tinder, which also offers optional paid features to help provide a premium matching experience.

Bumble’s first feature, named “Beeline,” will offer its members a line-up of users who have already “liked” them, so they can skip swiping and match with their likes by choosing “yes,” with the intention of making the process more efficient.