(Pocket-Lint) – Facebook has a free dating service called Facebook Dating, which is available in the United States and the United Kingdom, among other countries. It was launched in 2019 and has been slowly spreading worldwide since then.
Here’s what you need to know about Facebook dating, including how it works and what it offers
What is Facebook Dating?
Facebook Dating is a dating service designed for Facebook users to find meaningful relationships through their similarities (i.e., similar interests and groups). This is expected to eliminate the hassle of creating a separate dating profile, and even Instagram has been integrated, so you can share Instagram posts directly to your dating profile and add both Facebook friends and Instagram followers to the secret crash list.
Naturally, you may be skeptical about Facebook dating. After all, looking for a partner is super personal, even if online. So, you must opt-in to use Facebook dating. You will also have the ability to report and block anyone, preventing people from sending you photos, videos, messages, etc.
Other key features:
- You can add your Instagram posts to your profile on Facebook Dating.
- You can choose events and groups to see people with similar interests, but remember, you’ll be visible to them as well.
- You can share details of a date – with your live location – via a friend on Facebook Messenger, to make sure you feel safe on a date.
- You can also add Facebook and Instagram stories to your dating profile.
How does Facebook dating work?
Set up your profile
Facebook Dating is located in a tab in the main menu of the Facebook mobile app – tap on the three lines in the top right corner to access it. Tap the Facebook Dating tab and opt-in to create a dating profile (separate from your main profile).
You will be able to fill in personal details about yourself such as height, religion, job title, degree and education and whether you have children etc. while creating your dating profile.
Note: You must be 18 years of age or older to use Facebook dating.
Find a match
During setup, Facebook Dating will ask you to specify your gender and the gender (s) of the people you are interested in matching to the service. You will see the included gender options like Sis Women, Trans Women, CIS Man, Trans Man and Non-Binary People and you can choose whether you are interested in Women, Men, Trans Women or Trans Men. None of this information will be shared with potential matches.
You will be advised to choose Facebook dating for others, and will be advised based on your preferences, interests and other things on Facebook. You’ll see friends of friends and people who aren’t in your circle of friends.
Facebook dating won’t match your Facebook friends – unless you both add each other to your “Secret Crush” list. (More about this below.)
Contact a match
If you’re interested in someone, no swiping is involved, you can simply comment directly on their Facebook dating profile or tap the Like button to let them know. If you are not interested, you can pass.
All your activities will be on Facebook dating and will not be shared on Facebook.
What is a secret crash list?
Secret Crush lets you match people you already know on Facebook and Instagram. You can select up to nine of your Facebook friends or Instagram followers to add to a secret crash list. (But, to add Instagram followers, you must link your Instagram account to Facebook Dating).
Those people will then get a notification that someone has crushed them. If your crush adds you to their Secret Crush list, it’s a match. However, if your crush isn’t on Facebook dating, doesn’t make a secret crush list, or doesn’t put you on their list, they won’t know anything.
Where is Facebook dating available?
Facebook Dating is now live in the United States, the United Kingdom, and several other countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Suriname, and Thailand. Uruguay and Vietnam.
Written by Maggie Tillman. Edited by Luke Baker.
