Facebook is going to add dating function to app

Facebook is going to add a dating function to its app. Users can create a profile for this that is separate from their Facebook profile. People are matched by shared interests and mutual friends.

The dating section will be part of the Facebook app, but will be separate from the profiles, Mark Zuckerberg said in his announcement at the F8 developer conference that Facebook is organizing. According to the CEO, the feature was designed with privacy and security in mind.

Facebook has provided the ability for users to indicate whether they are in a relationship or single since its inception, but has never facilitated dating. By entering the online dating market, Tinder is likely to gain a major competitor in one fell swoop.

Facebook briefly mentions the dating feature in a press release about the announcements at the F8 conference. It states that the dating feature will create links between people based on entered preferences, things people have in common, and mutual friends. Groups and Events on Facebook also play a role in linking. A test of the dating feature will start later this year and Facebook will reveal more details.

At the same event, Facebook announced a Clear History feature. This allows users to delete data collected through third-party websites and apps. It will also be possible to set that such data will no longer be linked to the profile in the future.