A Facebook dating app is coming soon, with the social network's entry into the matchmaking service announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the annual F8 developer conference.
Some details about the Facebook dating service are still unclear, but Zuckerberg took the opportunity to throw shade at the other dating apps in the market.
Facebook Dating App Unveiled
At the F8 developer conference, Zuckerberg announced that a Facebook dating service, which the social media company had actually considered for more than a decade, will launch soon.
The feature will allow Facebook users to create dating profiles that will match them with potential love interests. The profiles may be created separate from a user's existing Facebook profile, with the matches to be made according to dating preferences, common interests, and mutual friends. What users do on their dating profile, however, will not be shown to their Facebook friends, and the matchmaking system will not pair users with their existing friends.
A prototype of the feature was shown at the F8 developer conference. A heart shape was shown at the top-right corner of the Facebook app, and pressing on it will launch the user's dating profile.
Facebook is hoping that the dating app will help in rebuilding its popularity among younger users as well as increase the number of visits to the social network. These two things are considered by the company as key challenges for its business.
Zuckerberg also said that the Facebook dating app will be built with a focus on privacy, which is a sensitive topic for people who use such services. This is an even bigger deal for Facebook, as it is still recovering from the massive hit to its public image that was dealt by the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.
Zuckerberg Throws Shade At Other Dating Apps
According to Zuckerberg, there are 200 million Facebook users who have listed their relationship status as "single," and the social network will soon be helping them find partners.
"If we're focused on helping people build meaningful relationships, then this is perhaps the most meaningful of all," said Zuckerberg. He then threw shade at the other apps in the market, such as Tinder and OKCupid, which have promoted a dating culture focused on short-term relationships rather than long-term ones.
"This is going to be for building real long-term relationships," the Facebook CEO added, "not just for hookups."
It is unclear, however, how the Facebook dating app will make sure that it does not become just another Tinder clone. Hopefully, Facebook reveals more information about the new service soon.
