In an attempt to compete with Tinder and other popular matchmaking apps, Facebook has officially launched its own dating service.
Facebook dating is now available in 20 countries, according to the company, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Guyana, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Suriname, Thailand, Uruguay, and Vietnam. Early next year, Facebook plans to start in Europe.
To use the service, you must first opt-in via Facebook, after which you can create your own Dating profile—which is separate from your main profile—as long as you are over the age of 18 and have the most recent version of the social media app installed.
According to the corporation, based on your preferences, interests, and other Facebook activity, you will be recommended to other Facebook users who have already opted into the service. In many aspects, the service is similar to Hinge, a dating app that allows you to communicate with individuals without having matched with them via swiping like Tinder or Bumble do.
“Facebook Dating isn’t about swiping or needing to wait for someone to like you before reaching out,” the firm stated in a news statement. “If you like someone, you can leave a comment on their profile or touch the Like button to let them know. You can ignore them if you aren’t interested.”
By default, Dating will only match you with friends of friends and strangers on Facebook. Furthermore, this activity will be hidden from the rest of Facebook.
If you use one of the important new features, “Secret Crush,” you can match with people you already know. You can create a list of up to 9 Facebook friends or Instagram followers that you are romantically interested in, and if any of these people have also opted in to Dating, they will receive a signal that someone is interested in them.
If anyone else adds you to their Secret Crush list, both parties will receive a message that a match has been made.
“No one will know that you’ve submitted their name if your crush isn’t on Dating, doesn’t establish a Secret Crush list, or doesn’t put you on their list,” Facebook added.
One of the other significant features allows users to share information about a date and/or a live location with a trusted person so that they can check on the user’s safety. In fact, Facebook is quick to point out that the app’s design prioritized security and privacy.
“Finding a romantic partner is a deeply personal experience, which is why we developed Dating to be safe, inclusive, and opt-in,” the company said in a statement. “This product places a premium on safety, security, and privacy. We worked with experts in these fields to include safety features into Facebook Dating from the beginning, such as the option to report and ban people, the prohibition of sending photographs, links, money, or videos in messages, and simple access to safety guidelines. These and other features provide you greater control and peace of mind.”
The program will be free to use, with no adverts or in-app purchases, according to Facebook.