Facebook, the world’s largest social media platform with over 2 billion monthly active users, has continued to expand its features and services beyond simple social networking. One of the newer additions to the Facebook suite of offerings is Facebook Dating, a built-in dating service that allows users to match with potential romantic partners.
Facebook Dating was launched in the United States in September 2019 after being tested in other countries. It is currently available in over 50 countries worldwide. The dating service is integrated directly into the main Facebook app, allowing users to create a dating profile that is separate from their regular Facebook profile.
Some key things to know about Facebook Dating:
- It is only available to users who are 18 years or older.
- Users must opt-in to activate Facebook Dating and create a dating profile.
- Dating profiles do not show up in News Feed or share any information with friends on Facebook.
- Dating profiles are suggested based on user preferences, interests, and other factors, rather than friends of friends.
- There are options to message matches through text, audio, and video chat.
So in short, yes Facebook does have a dating page and service built into the main Facebook app, but it is a separate experience from regular Facebook social networking features.
History of Facebook Dating
Rumors of Facebook launching its own dating service first started circulating in 2018. At Facebook’s annual F8 developer conference in May 2018, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that they would be debuting a dating feature soon. He said the goal was to help users find “long-term relationships, not just hookups.”
In August 2018, Facebook Dating began testing in Colombia initially. The test was expanded to other countries in Asia and Latin America later that year and in early 2019. Finally, in September 2019, Facebook Dating launched in the United States just in time for “cuffing season” when people tend to seek out romantic partners for the colder months ahead.
Since the initial launch, Facebook has continued rolling out Dating to additional countries. It first became available across Europe in early 2020. As of October 2022, Facebook Dating is now available in over 50 countries globally, making it accessible to a large portion of Facebook’s user base.
How Facebook Dating Works
If you want to access the Facebook Dating feature, the first step is opting into it through the Facebook app. You can do this by going to the menu tab in Facebook and tapping on Dating. This will launch a set-up flow specific to creating a dating profile.
When setting up your dating profile, you can choose to add up to 36 pictures from your Facebook account. You can also opt to add Instagram posts directly to your dating profile gallery. There is an option to add icebreaker questions and brief personal details like height, religion, job title, and whether you have children.
Facebook gathers information about you from your activities on Facebook and Instagram to recommend potential matches. You can also choose match preferences like location radius, age range, height range, and filters based on religion, job, kids, smoking, drinking, and more.
Once your dating profile is live, you will start seeing suggested matches in a Tinder-like feed interface. You can like or pass on people to express interest. When you and another person both like each other, it results in a match and you can start messaging in the chat tab.
The messaging features include standard text chat, but also give the options for audio and video calls. This allows you to move from messaging to a real-time conversation without leaving the Facebook Dating interface. Overall, the dating service aims to provide a streamlined experience from match to chat to potentially meeting up in person.
Unique Features
There are a few unique features that differentiate Facebook Dating from other dating apps and sites:
- Secret Crush – You can select up to 9 Facebook friends or Instagram followers that you’re interested in as “secret crushes.” If they also add you as a secret crush, it results in a match. If your crush isn’t on Dating, doesn’t create a profile, or doesn’t put you on their secret crush list, they will not know you selected them.
- Groups and Events – You can browse groups and events to find people who are also interested in those. For example, you may be able to match with people RSVP’d to a local meetup event you are going to.
- Stories – You can publish stories to your dating profile similar to Instagram or Facebook stories. Other users can view and respond to these.
- Icebreakers – Pre-set opening lines can be used to start the conversation with a new match.
Facebook Dating also does not allow messaging non-matches. Both people have to express interest by liking each other before they can start chatting. This aims to reduce unwanted messages and keep quality conversations between mutually interested people.
Is Facebook Dating Successful?
It is still early days for Facebook Dating, but some statistics indicate solid growth and engagement so far:
- Over 1.5 billion matches have been made in the first year since launch.
- More than 200 million users have opted into Facebook Dating worldwide.
- Users are active with over 2 billion messages sent per month.
- 4 out of 5 users recommend Facebook Dating to their friends.
Compared to more established dating apps like Tinder and Bumble, Facebook Dating has quickly attracted millions of users in a short period of time. The fact that it taps directly into the mainstream Facebook user base gives it a high ceiling in terms of growth potential. If the current trajectory continues, Facebook Dating is on the path to joining the ranks of top dating services.
| Dating Service | Monthly Active Users |
| Tinder | 7.86 million (Q2 2022) |
| Bumble | 16.3 million (Q2 2022) |
| Hinge | Over 4 million (reported in 2019) |
| Facebook Dating | ~200 million (Q3 2022) |
Pros of Facebook Dating
There are some potential advantages to using the Facebook Dating platform:
- Integration with Facebook/Instagram provides established identity and connections
- Matching based on Facebook profile data and interests
- Large user base of active Facebook users in many countries
- High degree of user control over profile information sharing
- Story and photo/video sharing features
- Secret Crush option to express interest discreetly
- Free service included in Facebook app
Established identity
Having an existing Facebook profile provides a level of built-in trust and verification you don’t get on many dating apps. People can see you have real friends and connections on the network before they match with you.
Interest-based matches
Because Facebook has data on your profile info, pages liked, groups joined, and activity across its apps, it can surface matches tailored to common interests.
Large established user base
Tapping into the monthly active Facebook user base gives the dating pool potential to be much larger, especially in international markets where Facebook use dominates.
Cons of Facebook Dating
Some potential downsides of Facebook’s dating offering:
- Privacy concerns around Facebook’s data collection
- Sparse profiles reliant on existing Facebook data
- Smaller user base and interest in some countries
- Possible social awkwardness being matched with friends-of-friends
Privacy concerns
Facebook has faced ongoing criticism and skepticism regarding its privacy practices. Some users may be uncomfortable sharing dating preferences and having that activity linked to their social media presence.
Sparse profiles
Compared to dedicated dating apps, the dating profiles generated from Facebook data may be less detailed and robust in terms of conveying someone’s personality or ideal match.
Smaller user base in some countries
Dating uptake and engagement on Facebook can vary significantly by country. In markets where Facebook is less dominant, the dating pool may be small.
Awkwardness of friends-of-friends
Some users may not like the possibility of being matched with their wider social circle of friends, colleagues, and acquaintances.
Conclusion
Facebook Dating provides a unique approach to online dating by tapping directly into people’s existing Facebook networks and data. The integration with Facebook, along with features like Secret Crush and Stories, differentiate the experience from standalone dating apps. While still relatively new, Facebook Dating has seen impressive growth in its first few years since launching.
For people already active on Facebook, its dating offering provides a convenient option without having to create yet another profile. However, it relies heavily on the Facebook ecosystem, so people not invested in that may still prefer alternative dating apps. Facebook Dating may not be suited for users uncomfortable mixing their social media presence with dating activities.
Overall, Facebook Dating leverages the company’s massive reach and data capabilities to provide an intriguing dating option for people seeking connections through a familiar platform. As it continues to expand, it has the potential to challenge the big existing players in the online dating space.