Facebook has launched Facebook Dating to 19 countries, including Philippines, making it easier for people to meet and start conversations with others who share the same interests, all in a safe, easy, and controllable way. It's available through the Facebook App, and allows people to control their experience with it.
"Currently, there are more than 200 million people who have listed themselves as single in their relationship status on Facebook. Many of them already use Facebook to start meaningful relationships. We view this as an incredible opportunity to connect people should they choose to explore meaningful romantic relationships," Charmaine Hung, Technical Program Manager for Facebook Dating. "People in the Philippines already use the platform to connect and celebrate relationships, and we are excited to offer them new ways of doing so."
Key features of Facebook Dating:
- A separate profile on Facebook: Facebook Dating is a dedicated space within the Facebook app. They won't share your dating activity to your profile or anyone else's.
- Match with people based on things in common: Suggested matches based on preferences, interests, and things you do on Facebook, helping users to connect with people.
- Users manage who can see their Dating profile: Inside Dating, only users' suggested matches and those whom they are suggested can see their profile. Friends and anyone blocked from the user profile won't be suggested unless the user decides this.
- Choose to opt-in Events and Groups to see other daters (who have also opted in): Users can choose to see other people who are using Facebook Dating that fit their preferences within Events and Groups. When users choose to see these people, they will also be visible to them.
- Enhanced privacy controls: Within the experience users have the ability to include or hide friends of friends in their own suggested matches. Users can report or block someone.
Users can choose to opt-in Facebook Dating by first making sure you have downloaded the most recent version of Facebook and then creating a profile, which is a separate one from the main Facebook profile.) You will be suggested others who have also opted-in. These suggested people are based on your preferences,interests, and things users do on Facebook. Users can explore the suggested profiles and say that their interested or pass on them. Users can choose to message someone you are interested in and start a conversation directly on Facebook Dating, without having to leave the experience.
Secret Crush
With the app launching in the Philippines, users are introducing "Secret Crush." On Facebook Dating, users can opt in to discover potential matches within your own Facebook communities: events, groups, friends of friends, and more. For many of us, friend lists is comprised of more than just close friends. People have told Facebook that they believe there is opportunity to explore potential romantic relationships within their own extended circle of friends.
Secret Crush gives people the option to do just that. "If you choose to use Secret Crush, you can select up to nine of your Facebook friends who you want to express interest in. If your crush has opted into Facebook Dating, they will receive a notification saying that someone has a crush on them. If your crush adds you to their Secret Crush list, it's a match! If your crush isn't on Dating, doesn't create a Secret Crush list - don't fret! If there isn't a match, then no one will know that you've entered a friend's name," said Hung.