October 22, 2020
13:34
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The burgeoning market of dating apps is gaining a new player. Facebook is introducing its long-awaited dating service in Belgium, where it previously ran a blue flag.
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Those looking for love have a wide range of mobile options. Tinder, Happn, Bumble and Inner Circle are just a few of the dating apps available in Belgium for people who love to swipe.
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Now they get another option with Facebook Dating. The American tech giant announced on Wednesday night that the dating service is available in Belgium and the Netherlands and 30 other European countries.
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Favorite artists
Facebook separates the dating service from the social media platform. It does, however, find out the data, such as name and age. Everything you’ve ever liked on the platform – from favorite artists to favorite events – is bundled into a dating profile.
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‘Facebook has fantastic data from Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to create a matching algorithm,’ says Michael Krayenhoff of the Dutch Inner Circle.
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He sees a potential competitor in the dating service, even though people have several apps ‘for different needs’. All dating apps use Facebook as an option to sign up. Krayenhoff is not afraid that the company would get a look behind the scenes. “The Facebook login is just a shortcut to sign up.”
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In the meantime, he wonders what Facebook will use the service for. “Is the goal to keep people on the app for as long as possible to attract advertisers or do they need to meet in person as soon as possible?” A Facebook spokesperson does not answer that question.
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Blue
Facebook had some problems leading up to the launch. In September 2019, the company already launched the dating app in the US market. Facebook was also allowed to operate in Canada, Mexico and Thailand.
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But the company was disappointed in Europe. At its European headquarters, Facebook was visited by Irish competition authorities, forcing it to postpone the launch. The watchdog slapped the company on the wrist for privacy risks.
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In a press release, Facebook emphasizes that it attaches ‘great importance’ to privacy and security. According to the company, the data is not shared with anyone outside the service.
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Second lockdown
Now that the second lockdown is a fact, the question is whether it is safe to date in real life. Many dating apps urge users to keep their distance when that happens.
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‘On Facebook we offer people the most up-to-date information about Covid-19, including an explanation of social distancing, for example,’ the spokesperson responds.
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According to Inner Circle founder Krayenhoff, the situation is different from March. Then there was still a lot of fear and ignorance, he says. Daters are more likely to meet in the park for a walk and a coffee now than they were seven months ago. You can no longer sit indoors for a year. ‘
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Investors already felt butterflies in their stomach. Facebook’s share
Thursday afternoon was more than 4 percent in the plus.
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