Bumble has publicly backed proposals for an EU-wide law that criminalises gender-based violence, both offline and online. The directive will look to address issues of cyber-stalking, cyberflashing, cyber harassment, and more.
The dating brand shared that it has been working with policymakers and groups within the EU to ensure that more forms of gender-based violence are recognised under law. This includes non-consensual sharing of intimate images, as well as AI-generated nudes.
Bumble highlighted that this work included a roundtable held in April 2023, where it sat down with representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, HateAid, the Centre for Democracy and Technology Europe, and the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy.
The directive will now go on to be discussed by EU Member States, and Bumble promises to continue working with policymakers to help tackle gender-based violence.
The brand’s own research found that in Germany, France, and Spain more than one in two (53%) of women aged 18-34 have been a victim of image-based abuse. Of those women, 82% reported feeling less safe, with some looking to withdraw entirely from online spaces.
“Strengthening protections for women online could not be more urgent”, Bumble highlighted.
