SCOTT DUKE KOMINERS: Can Facebook turn 'likes' into 'loves'?
'The creatively named Dating application will let Facebook users create special profiles to employ in their quests for love and romance'
With Facebook confronting calls to do more to protect user privacy as well as existential questions about its purpose in life, the company naturally used its F8 summit last week as an opportunity to cultivate an image as a less creepy presence in our daily lives. No, wait, never mind: Facebook announced it is launching an online dating service. The creatively named Dating application will let Facebook users create special profiles to employ in their quests for love and romance. Users who opt into Dating will be able to interact with and message each other on the platform, and will also be able to connect through shared events. In light of Facebook’s various troubles — from allowing a political consulting firm to hijack user data to serving as a platform for real fake news — the Dating jokes write themselves. Even so, Facebook Dating might not be such a bad idea. Making money in the online dating business isn’t easy. There’s built-in churn: If you match people successfully, then they...
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