A Delicate Situation
The overall situation of Facebook still remains quite delicate after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, its CEO’s testimony before the United States Congress, and its refusal to face a parliamentary committee in the United Kingdom. While we all wait (with some frustration, I might add) for some high-profile change that allows users to better manage their information, Facebook’s decision was none other than to announce its entry into the world of dating through Facebook Dating, a package of features that will be incorporated into the official app in the future.
At the end of March we published a general guide to close Facebook accounts. A couple of days later, Edgardo shared the Social Book Post Manager script, which with a little patience and several adjustments can delete posts in bulk within the social network. Some users’ relationship with the social network has completely broken down, and the truth is that its authorities did very little to fix that. So we arrived at the F8 Developer Conference, with some expectation regarding new announcements, and why not, additional adjustments oriented toward privacy. Mark Zuckerberg took the stage, and what he implied… is that Facebook wants to compete with Tinder.
What Facebook Dating Offers
Well, maybe I’m being a bit unfair. On one hand, Facebook will activate an option to delete browsing history from the social network’s servers as long as the user requests it (which will take several months according to the official announcement), and WhatsApp will receive support for group video calls, but what has taken everyone by surprise is Facebook Dating, a pack of features dedicated to the search for love that will be integrated into the mobile app. Facebook Dating is opt-in, so users will have to create a “dating profile”, will count on events and groups that each participant can unlock, and those who match at those events and groups will have the possibility of seeing their profiles and starting a conversation. As expected, Facebook Dating relies heavily on the information available in general profiles, though it will not be connected to Messenger or WhatsApp. Lastly, all people who are already regular contacts with each other within the social network will not be able to find each other through Facebook Dating.
Why the Move?
Now… why? Anyone would think that Match, OKCupid, PlentyOfFish, and Tinder (all four under the wing of Match Group) have the demand covered, but the CEO of Facebook hinted that there are almost 200 million singles on the social network, therefore, “there’s something to do there”. There is no specific date for the launch of Facebook Dating, which makes us think that Zuck and his squad do not want to walk on broken glass, and judging by this advertisement, the damage control continues.
