Facebook Dating Now Available: How To Use The Dating App To Find Love

Facebook (FB) has boosted its friendship game up a notch by adding a dating app called Facebook Dating. The new dating app is rolling out in the U.S. on Thursday, following its launch in 19 other countries.

Now, Facebook users can find love through shared interests, events, and groups, which the company has touted gives love-seekers “a more authentic look at who someone is” without having to create a dating profile.

Features of Facebook Dating allow users to integrate their Instagram posts directly into their dating profile, to increase their Secret Crush list as well as grow their Facebook friends.

Facebook claims the Dating app is “safe, inclusive and opt-in” with safety, privacy, and security measures added to the product. Daters will have ability to block a user, report a user, or stop a user from sending photos, links, payments, or videos in message within the app.

To start using Facebook Dating, users, which are 18-years-old and older, can opt-in to the platform and create a dating profile that is separate from their main Facebook profile. The latest version of Facebook must be downloaded, where users will then be suggested to others looking for love that have also opted into the app.

Daters are matched to others based on their preferences, interests, and activities on Facebook. All users have the ability to reach out to a potential date first, without having to swipe like Tinder or wait for someone to initiate the conversation like Bumble.

When a user finds someone of interest, they can comment on their profile or select the Like button to notify them. Not interested in a match? Simply pass on them, Facebook said. Friends are not a dating match on the app unless two users both initiate the Secret Crush feature.

Dating activity also stays with in Facebook Dating and is not shared with traditional Facebook users.

Facebook has already launched Facebook Dating in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Guyana, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Suriname, Thailand, Uruguay, and Vietnam. It said that Facebook Dating will be available in Europe by early 2020.

Facebook also said by the end of the year, it plans to allow Facebook and Instagram stories to be incorporated into the Facebook Dating profile.

Shares of Facebook stock were up 1.57 percent as of 12:25 p.m. ET on Thursday.