That is the kind of power Facebook has when the social media titan steps into the ring and unleashes a new “Dating” feature that have the parent company of Tinder quite skittish.
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The major feature was the announcement of Facebook Dating profile with the company claiming that people use the platform to meet new people and they want to make the experience better. With new services ranging from offering a chance at real-life romantic love, to augmented reality features in Messenger, to an affordable virtual-reality simulator, Facebook users are the most excited to see how their data is used next. This will be useful because people haven’t really gotten over their hesitation to use dating apps, as though it signifies some failure on their part to attract the opposite sex. And now, Facebook is entering new terrain―that of online dating. The user-base for apps like Tinder is mostly metropolitan and small in number. Through the dating feature it is possible to find like-minded people at the event and to view their profiles. Well, this new Facebook Dating app will do exactly the same thing. While its true that this helps flesh out a profile, its also something OkCupid has been doing for a long time now. Although this doesn’t totally address the privacy concerns that were initially raised by everyone anxious about their data being misused and the senators themselves, the new announcement is certainly is a step in right direction.
Before dating, the social networking behemoth has expanded into numerous other features pioneered by other tech companies, ranging from job postings to payments and online food delivery.
However, the bigger question here is, in a country like India, how many are willing to take this risk? That includes gay dating/hookup app Jack’d.
Zuckerberg said the new dating features will be optional.
Facebook brings to the dating table a treasure trove of data on its active users, which are over 2 billion strong.
Both welcomed the news although Match group CEO Mandy Ginsberg was surprised by the timing of the announcement “given the amount of personal and sensitive data that comes with this territory”. With Facebook no closer to stopping the creation of such fake profiles designed exclusively to trick people and cheat them of their money, the Facebook Dating app could end up exaggerating this problem that already seems to be getting out of hand. With so much users’ data stored on Facebook, there’s definitely something to do.
Users will soon be able to opt in to a dating profile that will connect them to non-friends who have also opted-in to be on the dating platform hosted by Facebook.
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Explaining more about the update, Facebook’s VP and Chief Privacy Officer, Erin Egan, said: “This feature will enable you to see the websites and apps that send us information when you use them, delete this information from your account, and turn off our ability to store it associated with your account going forward”.
