Facebook Dating Reveals Three New Features and ‘Watch’ Show

Facebook has announced a number of new features to try and get more singles using its online dating service this summer.

The first update is ‘Audio Dates’, allowing singles to have live calls with their matches. As North America starts to see an increase in COVID-19 cases because of the more transmissible Beta variant, virtual dates are the priority again.

‘Match Anywhere’ is another feature inspired by the pandemic and the fact that many people are living in temporary locations, or no longer seeing long distance as a deal-breaker. Users can add up to two new areas, within their own country, to see additional potential matches. 

The new feature undoubtedly shares similarities with Tinder’s Passport mode and several other major platforms expanded their matching radius during 2020.

Finally, ‘Lucky Pick’ will show users some profiles that don’t completely fit their preferences. This was introduced after feedback suggested that their filters aren’t always 100% final and it’s not necessarily a deal breaker if someone doesn’t fit them perfectly.

Facebook also launched a Facebook Watch show called ‘Summer Of Love’. The one-off special had well-known personalities discussing their dating experiences and giving their best advice.

The show, hosted by social media star Justin Laboy and featuring comedian Leenda Dong and singer Alaina Castillo has been viewed over 11,000 times.

While Facebook Dating hasn’t made the splash that many were expecting, internal data suggests that the number of daily messages has increased by 55% since August last year.

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