Facebook has begun testing online dating service , called “Dating,” in Colombia. The company announced the service at its annual F8 conference in May of this year. If all goes well, the service will soon be available in other countries.
The service is already live in Colombia, where users aged 18 and over can sign up to create profiles. But the company won't start showing potential "partners" until there are enough signups.
Facebook Dating uses powerful algorithms to suggest potential partners based on the personal information users share with the company. The Dating profile will include photos and answers to questions like “What song do you like?” or “What do you consider a perfect day?”
It's quite different from Tinder, as users will be able to click on the profiles of people they want to connect with, but Facebook has set a limit on browsing to 100 profiles per day. Users can also search for profiles based on events and groups they're involved in.
The best part is that Dating is a membership service that can be activated from your Facebook profile. Users will be able to use the service from the Facebook app itself and don't need to install another app for it.
Following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook aims to maintain privacy on its new service by allowing very little connection between your main Facebook profile and your Dating profile. This includes not disclosing your real age and location by default.
As for messaging, Dating will have a separate chat section that resembles Messenger. The features are limited to text and emojis only, and users cannot send images, links, or other media through it.
Overall, the service seems decent, and the big question that remains is whether Facebook Dating will become a success.
