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Facebook Dating Adverts Suggest User Numbers Far Behind Match Group

Over the past two years, several dating executives have continually said they haven’t been impacted in the markets where Facebook Dating is live. Now a series of new screenshots, uncovered by The Verge, has given an additional indication to how many users are on the service.

Adverts are shown to users on the main social media platform asking them to sign up for Dating platform. It then tells them how many singles are currently “dating” in their area.

According to this information, there were 278,000 users in New York City and approximately 25,000 in Ottawa last week. While these figures appear to be steadily increasing, a Match Group spokesperson told The Verge that a few of its brands have a higher number of active members in those cities.

While it’s not completely clear how Facebook’s numbers are measured, whether it’s active users or total sign ups, it is a sign that there is plenty of room for growth.

Facebook added in its own statement to The Verge: “[We are] excited about how it’s performing and the feedback we’ve been getting from people who have found love through the platform.”

One of the reasons that singles remain sceptical about Facebook Dating is the company’s infamous history with data leaks. Dating apps now offer new users the choice to verify their account through SMS codes and not their Facebook profile, an option that more and more are taking.

These privacy issues meant there had to be an additional eight month wait before the dating product was launched in Europe. The continent’s regulators had not received the necessary paperwork with sufficient notice before the planned Valentine’s Day release date.

A few days ago, The Verge also reported that Facebook was working on a new dating app, this time with a virtual speed dating twist. ‘Sparked’ will initially set up matches on four-minute video calls and wants all users to commit to being kind.

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Dominic Whitlock

Dominic is the Editor for Global Dating Insights. Originally from Devon, England he achieved a BA in English Language & Linguistics from The University of Reading. He enjoys a variety of sports and has a further passion for film and music.

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