Bumble takes leftward swipe at Tinder

We reported here that Match Group (owners of Tinder) were suing competitor Bumble for infringement of patents, trade marks and trade dress, and accusing it of exploiting trade secrets that some of its founders learned while working for Tinder.

In a development yesterday, Bumble has released a statement (which you can read in full here) that accused Match Group of using intimidation and scare tactics to attempt to force a buy-out. The statement goes on to state that the Match Group's strategy is simple bullying, and is not working in bringing closer a sale of Bumble to Match.

Bumble has long differentiated itself from other dating apps by advertising its "women-first" contact system (men can only send replies to women: they cannot initiate contact). And while Match is suing Bumble for alleged infringement of various intellectual property rights, Bumble has applauded Tinder for announcing its intention to copy their women-first approach in the future.

The different approaches of the two companies is striking, with Bumble taking the socio-moral high ground and portraying Match Group as the corporate monolith seeking to crush a smaller competitor. Of course, the relative standing of the companies will not matter to the courts, but Bumble has scored a significant PR victory in this litigation so far.

If you have any questions on the above, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniel & Co. on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.