 |
Stephen Lam |
thedailybeast
Facebook is entering the online dating game. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the big news Tuesday at F8, Facebook's annual developer conference, in San Jose, California.
[post_ads]Unlike Tinder, Bumble, Coffee Meets Bagel, and so on—the list of competing dating apps feels neverending, to be honest—Facebook’s matchmaking won’t clutter your smartphone screen with yet another app. Instead, the social network’s optional dating features will be added to its existing app.
Users who are interested in finding more than just Facebook “friends” can opt into the service and create a separate dating profile. There’s no word on whether or not Facebook “pokes” will be involved.
“This is going to be for building real, long-term relationships—not just for hookups,” Zuckerberg told the F8 audience. (He might as well have given Tinder—which, full disclosure, is owned by The Daily Beast’s parent company IAC—the stink eye.)
Zuckerberg also clarified that Facebook’s dating profiles will be hidden from nosy family members and people you haven’t talked to since high school: “Your [Facebook] friends aren’t going to see your profile, and you're only going to be suggested to people who are not your friends.”
[post_ads_2]
It’s worth noting that many existing datings apps rely on Facebook to function, so perhaps Facebook wants to take complete ownership of the online dating space. But given Facebook’s recent Cambridge Analytica data scandal and association with a Russian troll farm, will users really trust the company with their love lives? Twitter has some thoughts:
Zuck: The sanctity of your private info is extremely important. We're sorry we were untrustworthy.— Sam Biddle (@samfbiddle) May 1, 2018
Zuck 5 minutes later: Please upload the contours of your sex life and desires directly into our app
Holy god Facebook is launching a dating app— David Pierce (@pierce) May 1, 2018
BREAKING: Mark Zuckerberg says that Facebook will now offer a dating service. I didn't know that there was such a demand for Russian mail order bots. #f82018— Ed Krassenstein 💎 (@EdKrassen) May 1, 2018
World: Data theft!— Kaycee ⚢ Nightfire (@KcNightfire) May 1, 2018
World: Cambridge Analytica!
World: Russians!
World: Facebook bad!
Facebook: You can trust us.
Facebook: We'll fix this.
Zuckerberg: Online Dating features!#f82018
If there’s any overlap between the Facebook dating feature and the people on my Facebook, I predict a fail— Rani Molla (@ranimolla) May 1, 2018
Facebook will make a great dating site for people looking for love among the “older relatives shitposting about guns or Hillary or Trump on a daily basis” set.— Andrew Kirell (@AndrewKirell) May 1, 2018
I'm already facebook friends with a bunch of people I regret dating I don't need to expand that list https://t.co/zNrtWSjfkx— Emily Ann (@emilyrittrr) May 1, 2018
Facebook introducing “Dating”...NOT for hooking up...but “meaningful relationships” RIIIIIGHT! Just like it provided us with meaningful news and stories that matter and wouldn’t be influenced by advertisers, corporations...or you know, Russia. #F8 pic.twitter.com/YnONPjOIuc— Brian Tong (@briantong) May 1, 2018
Facebook is launching a dating service, because swiping left on all your friends on Tinder is so 2017. pic.twitter.com/fpOHrn4szL— Jono Read (@jonoread) May 1, 2018
Apparently he hasn't been on Tinder lately where "not here for a hookup" is in almost every bio https://t.co/f8CgpAkKF9— Curtis er død allerede (@cebsilver) May 1, 2018
Facebook going into dating feels like that hang the DJ black mirror episode except without all the work— April Parsons (@AprilParsons1) May 1, 2018
literally nobody asked for a facebook dating app— maya kosoff (@mekosoff) May 1, 2018
well on the bright side, facebook can't make online dating any worse than it already is https://t.co/jZhsM3UFsG— Tony Romm (@TonyRomm) May 1, 2018
Hahahaha the new Facebook dating app doesn't allow you to send images. No unsolicited dick pics y'all! #F8— Anshel Sag (@anshelsag) May 1, 2018
Tags
Tech