Facebook Dating is a dating app and platform that is integrated directly into the Facebook app. It allows users to match and connect with other Facebook users who have also opted into using Facebook Dating. Matches are determined through an algorithm that takes into account your preferences, interests, and other factors from your Facebook profile and activity.
Opting into Facebook Dating
To use Facebook Dating, you first need to opt into the service. You can access Facebook Dating from the menu in the Facebook mobile app. From there, you can create your dating profile by selecting preferences for potential matches such as location, age range, gender, and more. You can also choose to use your existing Facebook profile information or create a separate dating profile. Facebook Dating is only available to users 18 years and older.
How the Facebook Dating Algorithm Works
Once you’ve created your dating profile in the Facebook Dating section, the Facebook Dating algorithm will start generating potential matches for you based on your preferences, interests, and other profile information and activity on Facebook. Here are some of the factors that go into the Facebook Dating matching algorithm:
Location
One of the main factors is geographic location. Facebook Dating will only suggest potential matches who live in a reasonable geographic proximity to you, as determined by your preferred distance setting. You can adjust the maximum distance that Facebook Dating will use to find matches.
Age Range
When setting up your dating profile, you select a preferred age range for matches. The Facebook Dating algorithm will only suggest potential matches who fall within the min and max age parameters you set.
Gender
You can choose to see matches who identify as male, female or non-binary. Facebook’s algorithm will filter matches according to your preference.
Relationship Status
Facebook Dating will exclude profiles of those who are already marked as “in a relationship” or “married” on Facebook. Unless you choose to include them through your preferences, the matching algorithm won’t show them to you as potential matches.
Preferences
You can set additional preferences like whether someone has children, their religion, height, smoking habits, whether they drink or use drugs, and more. Facebook’s algorithm filters out users who don’t fit your stated preferences.
Mutual Friends
If you and a potential match have Facebook friends in common, the algorithm may suggest them, depending on your shared connections. However, Facebook notes that your existing Facebook friends will not be recommended to you as matches “to avoid making things awkward with your real-life friends.”
Interests and Profile Information
Facebook Dating looks at the interests, pages, groups, events, and other profile information you’ve shared on Facebook. If a potential match has similar interests or is connected to the same things, the algorithm may recommend them. Things like shared interests, hobbies, favorite sports teams, TV shows, movies, music, books, and other preferences could increase the chance of a match.
Pages and Groups
If you and another user are both members of the same Facebook groups or like similar pages, the matching algorithm may view this as something you have in common and suggest them as a match. However, Facebook says group membership is only used for recommendations if both people actively engage with that group.
Facebook Activity
Your general activity on Facebook can also influence who the algorithm matches you with. This includes things like your posts, comments, and other interactions. If you and another user regularly engage with similar content or interact within shared communities, you may be more likely to be matched.
Education and Workplace
Your education and workplace information from your Facebook profile may also be factored in. If you went to the same school or work at the same company or in the same industry as a potential match, the algorithm may boost them in your recommendations.
Responses to Questions
Facebook Dating has a feature called “Questions” which gives users prompts to respond to on their profile. Depending on how you answer certain questions, you may be matched with others who responded similarly, as this can indicate shared interests or compatibility.
Number of Mutual Friends
While existing Facebook friends won’t be recommended, having more friends in common with a user can increase the likelihood they’ll be suggested by Facebook’s algorithm. Having mutual connections suggests you may travel in similar social circles.
Specific Profile Data
Certain types of information from your profile may carry more weight in Facebook’s matching calculations. Details like your religious views, political leanings, hometown, relationship history, education/work, and interests could be more influential.
How You Interact with Matches Impacts the Algorithm
How you choose to interact (or not interact) with your suggested matches also provides inputs that help refine the matching algorithm over time. Actions like:
- Liking or passing on recommended profiles
- Sending a message to a match or responding to their message
- Unmatching or blocking a user
- Reporting a user
As you use these actions, Facebook gathers data on your preferences and uses it to tweak future match suggestions in your favor. For example, consistently passing on athletic body type profiles would signal the algorithm to reduce showing similar users going forward.
Secret Crush Feature
A unique Facebook Dating feature is the ability to select up to nine of your existing Facebook friends as “secret crushes.” You can secretly express interest in these friends as potential matches. If they also add you to their secret crush list, Facebook will notify you both about the mutual crush match. This opens up a special chat section where you can connect.
How Matches Are Presented in the App
Once the algorithm generates an initial batch of recommended matches, they will appear in a swipe card interface similar to Tinder. You can tap the X icon to pass or the heart icon to like profiles as you swipe through potential matches.
Daily Batch of Match Suggestions
Facebook Dating doesn’t overwhelm you with an endless stream of possible matches all at once. Each day at noon, you’ll be presented with a limited number of new match suggestions generated by the algorithm.
Like or Pass
As you swipe through the match suggestions, tap the Like or Pass icon on each profile card. This signals to Facebook’s algorithm whether it made a good match or not.
Equal Opportunity Matching
Facebook designed the daily batches of match suggestions to give equal exposure to all suggested users. They said this levels the playing field so everyone has a chance to be seen and prevent discrimination.
Ability to Return and Like Previous Matches
If you pass on a user one day, their profile may show up again in the future if they remain a good match. You also have the option to browse previously recommended profiles again and Like them after passing initially.
Consistently Reviewing and Tuning the Algorithm
Facebook has said their team is constantly monitoring activity patterns and feedback on Facebook Dating to improve the algorithm. They look at metrics like:
- Percentage of matches who exchange messages
- Number of matches who eventually meet up in person
- Match “conversion” rates from different recommendation pools
- Frequency of profile blocking and reporting
By analyzing this type of data, they can refine the algorithm’s accuracy in identifying compatible matches most likely to result in positive interactions.
Algorithm Limitations
While Facebook Dating’s algorithm uses available data to make informed match suggestions, there are some limitations:
- Users may intentionally misrepresent themselves.
- Algorithms can perpetuate biases that exist in the data.
- Not every user fills out in-depth profile information.
- Preferences and compatibility aren’t black and white.
- Chemistry between two people is unpredictable.
At the end of the day, Facebook’s technology provides suggested matches but human users have to determine true compatibility. An algorithm can’t definitively predict who you will have a real connection with.
The Importance of User Feedback
Due to the limitations of algorithmic matching, user feedback through actions like liking, passing, messaging, and reporting are crucial. Facebook relies on these signals to continuously tweak and enhance matching over time, rather than solely depending on profile data.
Active participation in providing user feedback helps improve future match relevance. Passively looking at matches without proactively tapping Like or Pass limits the algorithm’s ability to learn your preferences.
Conclusion
Facebook Dating aims to use the wealth of data from your existing Facebook profile and activity to suggest potential matches most likely to be compatible with you. Key factors include location, age, gender, interests, pages/groups, number of mutual connections, education, and more. While helpful, their matching technology has limits and works best when combined with ongoing user feedback. With active participation, the algorithm can continue getting smarter over time at recommending relevant matches.