Facebook’s New Dating Service for S’poreans is Like Tinder But Much Better

By
Zhi Hao
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Sick of the current batch of dating apps?

Tired of swiping that guy/gal, who seems just as desperate as you, all the time?

Losing all hope in ever meeting the one?

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Well, worry not, for there’s still a salvaging grace in sight. Expansive, with impeccable features to boot, this new dating system might not guarantee a 100% rate of attraction…

But it might just make your love life all interesting again.

And so, to my single ladies & gentlemen (attached personnel please get the f*ck away from this article), I introduce…

Facebook dating.

Image: TechCrunch

The Dating Service We Need, But Don’t Deserve

Facebook is launching its own dating service in Singapore and 13 other countries on Wednesday (1 May), as it aims to catch-up in the world of online dating. Facebook Dating, as it’s termed, was actually launched in five countries last year.

Image: Facebook

Contained within the present Facebook mobile app, Facebook dating will have users creating separate profiles, with matches coming between those who have opted for the service.

And to prevent any ‘awkward scenarios’ from cropping up, Facebook will not be matching you with your friends on Facebook, although friends of friends are available should you wish to fraternise beyond those ‘limits’.

Apparently, only the users’ first name and age are carried over from their main Facebook profiles.

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How will it work, exactly?

Unlike popular dating app Tinder, which if you recall uses a straightforward “swipe-left, swipe-right” interface, Facebook Dating requires users to go through prospective dates’ profiles before they’re able to tap on the “not interested” button.

Also, other features will include the option to be paired up with users who are heading to the same event or belong to the same Facebook group.

Specific details, seemingly, have yet to be fully released.

Captivating a disappearing fanbase

For those with butterflies in their wallets, the service is currently free, though according to Straits Times this might stem from an attempt to retain Facebook’s younger user base.

In a study released in March by market research firm Edison Research, it was discovered that Americans aged 12 to 34 who use Facebook plummeted from 79 per cent in 2017 to 62 per cent this year (2019).

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Not exactly an insignificant decrease, by any means.

And if you work in a place like Goody Feed whereby there are young people and old folks, you’ll see that the trend’s the same in Singapore: usually, the older folks are still using Facebook while the younger folks don’t even have Facebook installed in their phones #truestory

As such, it’s no wonder Facebook is pulling out all the stops in its ventures, and this latest move into the dating industry all but encapsulates that notion.

“Currently, there are more than 200 million people who list themselves as single on Facebook. We view this as an incredible opportunity to connect people should they choose to explore meaningful relationships,” said Facebook Dating’s technical program manager Charmaine Hung.

Besides Singapore, the service is also being launched in countries from Malaysia and Vietnam to Brazil and Chile. Though again…

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Whether it works, however, remains to be seen.

But enough of statistics and personal opinions; it’s time to proceed to the most important thing here:

You.

Do you think Facebook Dating’s the future, or will it like, so many other dating systems before it, fizzle out into nothingness?

Tell us in the comments section on Facebook, and we might just hook you up with our handsome editors in the office. 😉

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Zhi Hao
Email: [email protected]