Published 14:16 IST, October 22nd 2020
Facebook expands Dating App to Europe to help more people find 'meaningful relationships'
Facebook users can integrate their Instagram posts, Facebook, and Instagram stories directly into their Dating profile and add 9 people to 'Secret Crush list'.
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On October 21, Facebook announced that it has expanded its dating service to Europe, nearly a year after it launched the service in the US. Known as Facebook Dating, the dating app matches Facebook users based on their interests, hobbies, and the similar events and groups that they follow. In an official release, Facebook said that it was expanding the dating application to “help more people find meaningful relationships through things they have in common.”
The app, which is available in over 20 countries, has marched over 1.5 billion partners. Users can also integrate their Instagram posts, Facebook, and Instagram stories directly into their Facebook Dating profile. The dating app’s Secret Crush list allows users to add at least 9 Instagram followers or people known on Facebook as a crush on the dating app. Facebook then matches the mutual crushes, who, without having to swipe can message the person. According to facebook’s release, due to the coronavirus pandemic, a new Virtual Dates feature has been included in the app introduced in Europe that allows the potential partners to video chat with each other after one accepts the invitation sent by the other. “Your first name and Dating profile photo will be displayed when starting the call,” Facebook informed.
“We’re launching Facebook Dating in Europe to help more people find meaningful relationships through things they have in common, like interests, events, and groups,” the company said in a statement.
Facebook Dating Expands to Europe https://t.co/OMropabWBM
— Facebook Newsroom (@fbnewsroom) October 21, 2020
In its effort to compete with existing dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and OkCupid, and keeping the otherwise personal information safe, Facebook has allowed the users to create an entirely distinct profile within the opt-in space in the Facebook app. This way, the users can remove friends and block Facebook contacts from viewing the dating profile. The app has been introduced in Europe post a long delay due to the data protection concerns after the officers from the Irish Data Protection Commission probed the context of customer personal data protection issues.
Building real, long-term relationships
Meanwhile, Facebook Dating is free and does not show any ads like the Facebook homepage, at the same allowing the block feature on the dating app. “This is about building real, long-term relationships, not just hookups!” CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at the press conference during the launch of the Facebook dating app in the US. Furthermore, Nathan Sharp, the Facebook product manager building the service, in an interview with Recode said that it did not want the users to feel like Facebook's Dating was a speed-dating session. As per Recode’s estimate, as many as 200 million people on Facebook identify as ‘single’ and can fetch the social media giant multibillion-dollar business.
(Images Credit: Facebook Screengrabs)
14:17 IST, October 22nd 2020