Facebook is bolstering its dating service to help members find love while under lockdown orders.
The tech giant has plans to enable “virtual dates” so Facebook Dating users can video chat with matches via Messenger without having to add one another as friends.
Since real-world dating is out of the question for many because of widespread stay-at-home orders, the feature could serve as an engaging alternative to back-and-forth messaging in the age of COVID-19.
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The move is meant to “help people find meaningful relationships even when they can’t meet in person,” Facebook said in a blog post. The news was hidden at the bottom of the company’s Messenger Rooms announcement that said Facebook was adding several new ways for people to connect while apart.
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Virtual dates will roll out in the coming months, Facebook said in the blog post. And it’ll be housed within the Dating portion of the app which launched in 2019.
People who opt into Facebook Dating can swipe through potential matches the same way they would on most other dating apps.