FINANCIAL TIMES - Jan 5 - At first glance it resembles other dating apps. Users set up profiles, add photos and write a bit about themselves. They set an age range and a distance range for the people they wish to meet. But instead of swiping left or right, users tap on a profile photo to reveal a profile and can then choose either "pass" or "interested". Tapping on "interested" obliges them to leave a message before moving on to view other profiles. The program suggests dates based on users' Facebook behaviour and interests, but users can also use Facebook's Events and Groups to find a match. Three months after it launched, Facebook is cagey about how many people are using the service, but said it has received "lots of useful feedback" that was helpful as it rolled the service out in Canada and Thailand in November. There is now a "Second Look" option that allows users to review people they rejected first time round and a "Pause" option that temporarily stops dating suggestions without a profile being deleted altogether. The biggest challenge to the success of the service remains Facebook's trust problems, following a series of allegations about its use of the data that it collects.
by Gideon Long
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