Facebook Dating is Here, And So Are New Privacy Concerns

• Facebook has launched a new service called “Dating”, to bring aspiring lovers together.
• A new feature called “Secret Crush” is introducing a new matching system that could compromise you.
• Facebook promises it’s safe to use, and that only if both people match each other they will get to know about it.

Facebook has launched it’s “Dating” service, which promises to connect users who like each other, or even those who have a secret crush on one another. The way that this will work from today and onwards is simple. Those who already have a Facebook account will be able to create a separate, “Dating profile”, and then start expressing their liking towards the dating profiles of others. The “Secret Crush” feature is where all the money is right now though. It gives users the option to select nine people from their Facebook friends or Instagram followers, declaring them as their secret crushes.

Once you do that, the crushes will get a notification that someone has a crush on them. If they add you to their secret crush list too, then Facebook will match you, and both will get to know of each others’ true feelings. If not, then they will never know about your selection, and your pick and liking will never get compromised. Sounds straight forward, right? The problem is, it’s all about trusting the platform to do it correctly; otherwise, you’ll face an exposure that can be damaging to your personal well-being, social life, and even professional relationships.

Source: https://newsroom.fb.com

Facebook is promising that it’s all going to be safe to use and completely private. No activities from the dating profile will be shared on your news feed and Facebook profile. The same applies to Instagram posts. Your Facebook friends and Instagram followers won’t even know that you are using the Dating service. To offer more privacy options, the dating profile will only draw your first name and age from your social media profile. If you want to add more information like images, real identity, religion, gender, etc., you may do so at a later stage.

While we can’t predetermine what is going to happen with information like the secret crush lists, we are feeling very uncomfortable with them being added on a platform that has repeatedly proven its incompetence to protect sensitive user data. Sure, social media is about romance too, and the secret crush feature will definitely bring many people together who may otherwise never find the courage to do it. However, you should use this new feature responsibly and treat the information that you add there as if it’s likely to leak at any point in the future. If you don’t have a problem with that premise, go ahead.

Are you planning to opt-in and use Facebook Dating, or are you not taking that risk? Let us know where you stand in the comments down below, or on our socials, on Facebook and Twitter.