Online dating app Bumble is tackling one of the biggest concerns in the industry head-on with the launch of a new A.I.-powered safety feature called Deception Detector. Designed to proactively identify and block spam, scam accounts, and fake profiles before users encounter them, Deception Detector uses machine learning to analyze patterns and behaviors that suggest an account is not genuine.
In internal testing, Deception Detector automatically blocked 95% of accounts flagged as suspicious without need for human intervention. And within two months of early testing, Bumble saw user-reported cases of spam, scams and fakes drop by 45% across its platforms.
The impetus for the new tool is clear: Bumble's research found that fake profiles and risk of scams topped the list of users' safety worries in online dating. And nearly half of surveyed female users specifically cited anxiety over whether matches are actually who they claim to be.
"Bumble was founded to build equitable relationships and empower women to make the first move, and Deception Detector is our latest innovation to help ensure the connections made on our apps are genuine," said Bumble CEO Lidiane Jones.
Romance scams have become a major issue online. According to the FTC, victims lost more than $1.3 billion in 2022 alone. And while most scams often originate on social media, about 20% can be traced back to dating sites and apps.
Bumble plans to augment Deception Detector with a mix of other A.I. safety tools and human content moderation. The company previously introduced features such as the Private Detector, which screens and blurs inappropriate images, and AI-generated icebreaker suggestions within Bumble For Friends, all designed to foster a respectful and engaging online community.
As online dating continues to evolve, users are demanding more transparency and accountability around safety from the platforms they use. With its member-first approach, Bumble is aiming to set the standard for how technology and human oversight can work hand-in-hand to engender trust and give users greater peace of mind.