Facebook Dating is a relatively new dating feature offered by Facebook in some countries. It allows Facebook users to create a separate dating profile within Facebook and match with other users looking for relationships. Facebook Dating launched in the United States in 2019, and has since expanded to various countries around the world. However, it is not yet available everywhere. So, does South Africa have access to Facebook Dating?
The Availability of Facebook Dating in South Africa
As of October 2023, Facebook Dating is not yet available in South Africa. Facebook has not officially launched the dating feature in South Africa. When browsing Facebook from South Africa, there is no option to create a Facebook Dating profile or view potential matches.
Some reports indicate that Facebook planned to launch Facebook Dating in South Africa in early 2022, however this rollout did not end up taking place. Facebook has not provided any updates on if or when Facebook Dating will become accessible to users in South Africa.
So in summary, no, South Africa does not currently have access to Facebook’s built-in dating platform. The feature remains unavailable to Facebook users in South Africa as of late 2023.
Countries Where Facebook Dating is Available
While South Africa does not have Facebook Dating yet, the dating platform has launched in dozens of other countries across the world. Here is an overview of some of the main countries and regions where Facebook Dating is available:
| Country/Region | Launch Date |
|---|---|
| United States | September 2019 |
| Canada | October 2019 |
| Mexico | October 2019 |
| Argentina | October 2019 |
| Brazil | October 2019 |
| Chile | October 2019 |
| Peru | October 2019 |
| Ecuador | October 2019 |
| Paraguay | October 2019 |
| Uruguay | October 2019 |
| Bolivia | October 2019 |
| Guatemala | October 2019 |
| El Salvador | October 2019 |
| Honduras | October 2019 |
| Nicaragua | October 2019 |
| Costa Rica | October 2019 |
| Panama | October 2019 |
| Dominican Republic | October 2019 |
| Colombia | October 2019 |
| Thailand | November 2019 |
| Vietnam | December 2019 |
| Singapore | January 2020 |
| Malaysia | January 2020 |
| Laos | January 2020 |
| Cambodia | January 2020 |
| Philippines | May 2020 |
| Taiwan | June 2020 |
| Indonesia | June 2020 |
| India | September 2020 |
| Vietnam | October 2020 |
| South Korea | October 2020 |
| Japan | December 2020 |
| Australia | September 2021 |
| New Zealand | September 2021 |
| Fiji | September 2021 |
| Bangladesh | October 2021 |
| Nepal | October 2021 |
| Sri Lanka | October 2021 |
| United Arab Emirates | October 2021 |
| Egypt | October 2021 |
| Morocco | December 2021 |
| Algeria | December 2021 |
| Tunisia | January 2022 |
| Saudi Arabia | March 2022 |
| Qatar | March 2022 |
| Jordan | April 2022 |
| Iraq | April 2022 |
| Bahrain | May 2022 |
| Kuwait | May 2022 |
| Lebanon | May 2022 |
| Libya | May 2022 |
| Oman | May 2022 |
| Palestine | June 2022 |
| UK | September 2022 |
| France | September 2022 |
| Germany | September 2022 |
| Italy | September 2022 |
| Spain | September 2022 |
| Netherlands | September 2022 |
| Sweden | September 2022 |
| Denmark | September 2022 |
| Norway | September 2022 |
| Belgium | September 2022 |
| Switzerland | September 2022 |
| Portugal | September 2022 |
| Austria | September 2022 |
| Ireland | October 2022 |
| Finland | October 2022 |
| Iceland | October 2022 |
As this table shows, Facebook has taken an incremental approach to launching Dating, starting in the Americas before expanding to Asia, Europe, and other parts of the world. However, Africa has not yet been a focus for the rollout. South Africa remains one of the notable countries where the dating feature is not yet accessible.
Why Facebook Dating Isn’t Available in South Africa Yet
There are a few potential reasons why Facebook has not yet brought its dating platform to South Africa:
– **Slow and strategic rollout** – Facebook has been cautious about expanding Dating too quickly. It is taking time to analyze usage and optimize the experience for each new market before moving into additional countries. The slow rollout allows Facebook to identify issues and improve the platform as it scales.
– **Lower priority** – South Africa likely does not have the same priority level for Facebook Dating as larger dating markets like the US, Brazil, India, etc. With limited resources, Facebook is focused on maximizing impact by targeting high population countries first.
– **Regulatory requirements** – Launching any new product or feature in a country requires complying with local laws and regulations. Facebook may still be working through regulatory hurdles to launch Dating in South Africa.
– **Localization** – Properly localizing any product for a new country involves extensive translation, cultural sensitivities, marketing adjustments, and more. Facebook may not have localized Dating for South African languages and customs yet.
– **Market research** – Facebook typically does extensive market research before entering a new country. If insights show low demand or a problematic competitive landscape, that could delay or even prevent launch plans.
Essentially, bringing Dating to South Africa may not have been a priority yet compared to other markets deemed more attractive for Facebook’s dating ambitions. But with the platform now live in over 50 countries, South Africa’s turn could be coming next.
Is Facebook Dating Available in Other African Countries?
Within Africa, Facebook Dating has had an extremely limited rollout so far. To date, it has only launched in two African countries:
– Egypt – October 2021
– Morocco – December 2021
The Egypt and Morocco launches came over two years after Facebook Dating first debuted in the Americas. No other African nations have access yet.
However, Egypt and Morocco may serve as a starting point for wider expansion across Africa. Some other sizable markets in Africa that could be candidates for Facebook Dating include:
– Nigeria – A populous country with over 200 million residents. English is also widely spoken which makes localization simpler.
– Ethiopia – Africa’s second most populous nation with around 120 million people. Facebook is popular in Ethiopia but dating apps have not caught on yet, so Facebook Dating could fill a gap.
– Kenya – A quickly growing economy with a youthful, tech savvy population that is very active on social media. Kenya has potential as an expansion market.
– Ghana – Internet and smartphone adoption is rising rapidly in Ghana, along with an emerging middle class. The conditions are favorable for new digital services.
If Facebook Dating succeeds in Egypt and Morocco, rolling out to other sizable African countries could be the next logical step for increasing its user base and revenue potential. The demand for online dating is strong across Africa, so the opportunity is certainly there.
Requirements to Use Facebook Dating
While South Africans can’t yet access Facebook Dating, it can be useful to understand the requirements to use the platform once launched. The key prerequisites to unlock Facebook Dating include:
– **Facebook account** – Users must first have an existing personal Facebook account to create a dating profile. Accounts also need to meet Facebook’s authenticity standards.
– **Minimum age** – Only people aged 18 and up can access Dating. The age cutoff aims to keep minors safe.
– **Location** – Dating has to be live in your country for the option to appear. As seen, it’s limited largely to North and South America, Asia, Europe and parts of the Middle East and North Africa so far.
– **Mobile app** – Dating profiles can only be created and managed directly within the Facebook mobile app, not the desktop website.
– **Profile info** – Your dating profile will pre-populate with info from your Facebook account, which you can then supplement with additional dating preferences, photos etc.
– **Verification** – For safety, users may have to verify their identity by taking a selfie that matches a posed reference photo.
Meeting these requirements allows eligible users to access and use Facebook Dating. However South Africa remains in the waiting room for now until an official rollout takes place.
How Does Facebook Dating Work?
Once Facebook launches Dating in a new country, how does it work for those gaining access? Here’s an overview of the key features and functionality:
– **Separate profile** – Users create a distinct dating profile separate from their main Facebook account. It only appears to other dating users.
– **Profile match suggestions** – Facebook suggests potential matches based on user preferences, interests, events, groups, and other signals.
– **Shared interests** – You can specify topics and activities you enjoy, view matches with common interests, and join interest-based dating groups.
– **Share to Instagram Stories** – Users can post their dating profile directly to Instagram Stories to gain more visibility.
– **Secret Crush** – This lets you select up to 9 Facebook friends or Instagram followers as a “secret crush.” You’ll match if they add you back.
– **Icebreakers** – Send fun opening lines and questions provided by Facebook to start conversations with matches.
– **Video dates** – The dating platform includes an optional video chat feature to go on virtual dates.
– **Safety features** – Tools like profile verification, user reporting, and blocking help enhance user safety.
The platform essentially leverages Facebook’s extensive data and connections to recommend compatible potential partners. Early reviews of Facebook Dating have been mixed, but it provides another option in the crowded online dating space.
Comparison to Other Dating Apps in South Africa
Even without access to Facebook Dating, people in South Africa still have plenty of options when it comes to online dating platforms and apps. Some of the most popular services used for dating in South Africa include:
| Dating Service | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Tinder | – Swipe right/left on profile cards – Location-based matching – Integration with Instagram |
| Bumble | – Women make the first move – Time limits for initial messages – Verified profiles |
| AfroIntroductions | – Targeted at African singles – Locally-based matches – detailed profile filters |
| EliteSingles | – Caters to educated professionals – Personality-based recommendations – Manual profile verification |
| eHarmony | – Lengthy signup questionnaire – Proprietary matching algorithm – Guided communication tips |
| OkCupid | – Quirky Q&A prompts – Fun offbeat vibe – International user base |
| HER | – Made for queer women – Local LGBTQ+ events – Video calling and news feed |
The variety of established dating sites and apps means South Africans have no shortage of options to try out. Each platform offers its own spin and features for finding matches. Facebook Dating aims to differentiate itself through deep social integration, but faces stiff competition from these alternatives. The demand for online dating in South Africa appears strong enough to support multiple services.
Future Expectations for Facebook Dating in South Africa
Looking ahead, it seems likely that Facebook will eventually bring its Dating product to South Africa, given the country’s large and tech-savvy population. However, the timeline remains uncertain.
Facebook has suggested its primary criteria for launching in new countries is having the operational capacity and localized review processes in place to ensure good user experiences. Building out teams to support Dating in South African languages takes time and investment.
Some prognosticators speculate Facebook Dating could arrive in South Africa sometime around late 2023 or 2024. However, Facebook will likely wait to see solid user growth and engagement in Egypt and Morocco before rapidly expanding across Africa.
Once it does launch, Facebook Dating will still face challenges gaining traction in the South African market given entrenched competitors like Tinder. But its integration with Facebook’s social graph gives it differentiators that some single users will find appealing. Overall, the launch will provide one more option in South Africa’s vibrant online dating ecosystem.
Conclusion
In summary, Facebook Dating has not yet made its way to South Africa as of late 2023. The feature remains unavailable despite Facebook’s dating platform already launching in over 50 other countries worldwide. South Africa is not currently a part of Facebook’s dating expansion plans.
Those interested in online dating in South Africa still have many established dating apps to choose from for now. But the eventual arrival of Facebook Dating could provide an intriguing new choice that leverages people’s existing Facebook friend networks and preferences.
When Facebook finishes optimizing Dating for Egypt and Morocco and feels ready to target more of Africa, South Africa seems a probable candidate for later expansion rounds. But local South Africans will need to wait patiently for the day they finally gain access to Facebook’s unique take on social-based online dating.