Facebook is now on its quest to become the biggest matchmaker on the internet. During their annual developer's conference, Facebook executives announced the social media giant's next project and it is helping their users find love through their platform with the addition of the "Secret Crush" feature. This update lets their users list up to nine friends that they like, and if their crush adds them to their personal lists as well, then the match is revealed.
Facebook is planning to go global with their dating feature. They announced that they had expanded to 14 countries: Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Laos, Singapore, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Malaysia, Uruguay, and Suriname. The dating feature has been active since last year in Thailand, Colombia, Mexico, Canada, and Argentina. Although Facebook has not shown their data as to how many people are using the dating feature, the update from Tuesday would suggest that it is already picking up and is a hit with the users.
In the United States, users are still hesitant in using the dating feature on Facebook as they are worried Facebook might share their personal information. In fact, the users took their sentiments to Twitter when the feature popped up in their notification feed since Facebook does not have a great track record when it comes to privacy.
Those who are against the dating feature flooded social media, but they are just the minority. Between its international appeal, network effect and the fact that those who use the dating feature already had an interaction with the people on their crush lists, the dating operation of Facebook could be the biggest dating app out of all the existing dating applications.
Instead of swiping right or swiping left like Tinder, Facebook dating will match you with those whom you have similar interests with, belong to the same facebook Group and those who attended the same event as you did.
Facebook will let its users create a dating account that is separate from their personal account. The person who sends the first message must respond to either the profile photo of their match or answer an ice-breaker question generated by Facebook. With these features, Facebook has accounted in two typical ways people bond; talk and develop romantic connections.
William Chopik, a social-personality psychologist and assistant professor at Michigan State University, stated in an interview that Facebook as the potential to be the most used online dating service of them all.
"Based on polling data, the most common ways people meet is through friends in common followed by in a social setting, like an activity or group event," he said. "Based on those things alone, facilitating the ways that people most commonly meet sounds like a promising direction. In this way, Facebook Dating has a considerable advantage compared to other apps."
