Photo by ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images.
Bumble is swiping left on Russia and Belarus, shutting down their dating apps in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The Austin, Tex.-headquarted social media company joined a growing list of companies no longer doing business in Russia (along with Belarus, widely viewed as a puppet state under Moscow’s control) in the wake of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s relentless invasion of Ukraine and targeting of civilian areas.
Bumble, Inc. owns and operates multiple online dating services, including the eponymous app for which the company is named, and Badoo and Fruitz, which are more popular in Europe.
The announcement came in a 2021 earnings statement that was published on Tuesday.
“Bumble Inc. has also announced that it is discontinuing its operations in Russia, as well as removing all of its apps from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in Russia and Belarus,” the statement said. “The combined revenue from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus was approximately 2.8% of total Bumble Inc. annual revenue in 2021, almost all in Badoo App and Other revenue. Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine contribute less than 0.1% of Bumble App revenue.”
The earnings statement predicted a roughly $20 million loss for the company for the year ($2 million just in the first quarter) in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, due to the decision to suspend operations in Russia and Belarus and disruptions caused by the invasion in Ukraine.
Bumble actually has some Russian roots. Company founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, an ex-Tinder executive, “reportedly enlisted the help of Russian billionaire Andrey Andreev to create Bumble,” reported The Washington Post. The Moscow-born Andreev founded Badoo and was accused of fostering a toxic and misogynistic environment at the company. He denied some of the allegations and later sold his stake in Badou’s parent company to Bumble.
A few days ago, Bumble posted a tweet urging people to join their support for the International Rescue Committee “in assisting women and families affected by the crisis in Ukraine,” along with a link to the aid group’s website and Twitter account. “We stand with women everywhere, every day,” said the tweet.
We stand with women everywhere, every day. Bumble is supporting the International Rescue Committee (@RESCUEorg) in assisting women and families affected by the crisis in Ukraine. Visit https://t.co/1EWRafcUGK to learn how you can help. #womenshistorymonth pic.twitter.com/ZnPI2tfMx5
— Bumble (@bumble) March 4, 2022
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