Dating app says it removed political filter following Capitol riots

The online dating app Bumble said that it had temporarily removed its political filter for users following the Capitol riots after the company saw an increase in people using the app “to spread insurrectionist content.”

The filter was removed on Jan. 13 due to “a noticeable uptick in people using the politics filter in a manner contrary to our terms and conditions” that occurred after the Capitol riots, a Bumble representative told The Hill.

The company said that people were using the platform “to spread insurrectionist content” and organize and incite violence. 

Two women on Twitter talked about using the platform to alert law enforcement to those they believe participated in the Capitol riot. 

Alisa Awadallah, a resident from Washington, D.C., took to Twitter last Thursday claiming that those involved in the riots were on dating apps bragging about their actions.

“Some say it directly, others are obvious from MAGA clothing, location tags, etc. Is that info useful at all for law enforcement?” Awadallah tweeted. 

This is funny but actually serious. There are DOZENS of men on DC dating apps right now who were clearly here for the insurrection attempt yesterday. Some say it directly, others are obvious from MAGA clothing, location tags, etc. Is that info useful at all for law enforcement?

— Alia Awadallah (@aawadall) January 7, 2021

Allison Norris, who, according to her Twitter profile is an immigration attorney, responded to the tweet saying she knew of someone who changed her political affiliation on Bumble to conservative to try to identify some of the rioters to law enforcement. 

“I know a friend of a friend who changed her preference on Bumble to Conservative. She’s matching with MAGA bros and they’re bragging and sending her pics and videos of them in the Capitol. She’s sending them to the FBI,” Norris tweeted.

I know a friend of a friend who changed her preference on Bumble to Conservative. She’s matching with MAGA bros and they’re bragging and sending her pics and videos of them in the Capitol. She’s sending them to the FBI.

— Allison #FreeThemALL Norris (@allisonnorris) January 8, 2021

Bumble was subject to criticism after the company removed the political filter. The app responded on Wednesday to claims that they were “protecting insurrectionists,” stating that the politics filter was temporarily removed “to prevent misuse.”

“However, please rest assured that we prohibit any content that promotes terrorism or racial hatred, and we’ve already removed any users that have been confirmed as participants in the attack of the US Capitol,” the dating app tweeted. 

We’ve temporarily removed our politics filter to prevent misuse. However, please rest assured that we prohibit any content that promotes terrorism or racial hatred, and we’ve already removed any users that have been confirmed as participants in the attack of the US Capitol.

— bumble (@BumbleSupport) January 14, 2021

The filter was restored in the United States Friday, according to the Bumble representative.