Users of Bumble

Social media involves the active participation of civic engagement and technological unconsciousness (Dijck, 32). In older mediated content, incentives to gain power and popularity. Wtih newer forms of media, consumers and users fight for popularity within sites. Users are ultimately exposed to a wide range of  different applications and use them to benefit their self-worth (Dijck, 43). Bumble creates an environment where females are entitled to the primary permission of engagement. This application ultimately alters the way technology is used and the users it is entitled to.

The users of the Bumble application are a crucial importance to the success in the functioning of the app. Users shape online normatives and alter the effect of the online experience (Dijck, 33).  Therefore, the users are "a jumpstart" in the improvement of the application because they are the main contributors as participants, consumers, and producers (Dijck, 41).

Van Dijck describes two types of participation of users. First, implicit participation is the usage that is predetermined by the design of the application (33). Second is explicit user participation, which entails the “real” usage information or data (33). This can involve different methods including demographic/statistical, experimental (how the users preform), and as ethnographic subjects (users habits and practical use). The rise of cultural connectivity constantly effects the ways we interact with one another.

Online dating is actually very popular with almost 50% of single people saying they have tried it (Global News). With easier access and more effortless profiles, online dating has had a huge increase of profits reaching up to 1.5 billion dollars in 2014 (Engelhart, 2013). Bumble continues to promote its application and gain popularity with a 15% week over week growth (Engelhart, 2013). Bumble users are active contributors that have a 60% response rate in all matches according to co-founder Whitney Wolfe. Bumble creates a new opportunity for its users to engage in an alternative method than other dating sites including Tinder. As a newly developed application, Bumble’s growth patterns are increasing at a steady rate and Tinder may eventually get some competition. Overall Bumble is a growing application that continues to gain popularity through its users.

So will application dating take over the dating world? Will online applications be the only means to meeting your true love? The users and usage data of online dating confirms that this may be the case!!

The Canadian Press (2015, July 15). By the numbers: The rise of Canada’s online dating scene. Global News. http://globalnews.ca/news/2111560/by-the-numbers-the-rise-of-canadas-online-dating-scene/

          Engelhart, Katie (2013, Jan. 30). Online dating and the search for true love- or loves. Macleans Digest. http://www.macleans.ca/society/life/true-loves/

Van Dijck, Jose (2013). The culture of Connectivity. Oxford university press, P 32-34. 

Van Dijck, José. "Users Like You? Theorizing Agency in User-Generated Content." Media, Culture & Society 31.1 (2009): 41-58. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.