‘Men-first’: Indian women’s experiences of male entitlement and intrusion on Bumble

Online dating apps such as Bumble are frequently credited with empowering women to take control of their dating experiences. However, few studies have examined how patriarchal norms manifest as embodied intrusions in digital contexts, particularly in collectivist societies like India. This study addresses that gap by investigating Indian women’s experiences of intrusion on Bumble through a feminist phenomenological lens. Twenty-two women aged 18–35, each with at least six months of Bumble use, participated in semi-structured interviews combined with a scroll-back method. Thematic analysis revealed multiple forms of intrusion, unsolicited sexual advances, fetishization, image-based abuse, cross-platform harassment, catfishing, and retaliatory doxing–rooted in male entitlement and guided by socio-historical values of honor and modesty. These findings illustrate how cultural expectations, toxic technocultures, and app design flaws jointly reinforce offline power asymmetries in digital dating. Drawing on a feminist phenomenological lens, this study reveals how Indian women’s embodied responses to intrusion reflect enduring patriarchal legacies on platforms like Bumble.