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A24 TECHNOLOGY
Monday 9 SepteMber 2019
Friends with benefits: Can Facebook tackle your love life?

By BARBARA ORTUTAY together folks with “am-
AP Technology Writer bition and a drive to suc-
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — ceed,” there are also apps
Facebook is tackling a new focused on farmers, reli-
frontier: love. gious groups, seniors, the
Facebook Dating, a LGBT community and so
matchmaking service the on. When he announced
company already offers the feature last year, Face-
in Brazil, Canada and 17 book CEO Mark Zucker-
other countries, arrives in berg said Facebook Dat-
the U.S. on Thursday. But ing is “not just for hookups”
after years of privacy mis- but to build “meaningful,
steps by the social network, long-term relationships.”
will people trust it with their That appeared to be a di-
love lives? rect swipe at Tinder, a ser-
For a company that’s also vice best known for hook-
developing its own digital ing people up with people
currency and dabbling in they find attractive by
e-commerce, love is an- showing their photo, age
other step toward reaching and first name.
into all aspects of human With Facebook, you start
existence. by creating a dating pro-
Although many features re- file distinct from your Face-
semble what other match- This undated product image provide by Facebook shows screenshots of Facebook Dating, a book profile. It’s easy to
making services offer, mobile-only matchmaking service. On Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, the service will launch in the U.S. bring over details such as
Facebook’s version prom- Associated Press your school and job — but
ises to be different, just as bile-only service that’s free isn’t going to be success- ing from Match to Bumble, you’re free to embellish
Tinder brought swiping and to use and free of ads, can ful,” said Rob Sherman, the Tinder and Christian Mingle or hide any of that just for
Bumble brought female- still help Facebook make company’s deputy chief prior to his current relation- Facebook Dating. You can
first messaging. Your Face- money if it keeps people privacy officer. “We built ship. also add up to 36 of your
book Dating profile will be glued to its other services in privacy from the ground “Facebook is here to make Instagram photos.
separate from your main longer. up.” money and I get that,” he You have to be at least
one, but it will let you tap That’s if users can get over Tell that to Seth Carter, said. But he worries that 18, rather than 13 with the
your network of friends to concerns about privacy. 32, an engineer from Terre Facebook’s stated com- main Facebook service.
identify “secret crushes.” “A feature on Facebook Haute, Indiana, who tried mitment to privacy would The service isn’t limited to
Facebook Dating, a mo- that people don’t trust a host of dating apps rang- ultimately buckle under those who’ve listed them-
pressure to make money selves as “single.”
Samsung folding phone to launch after off the service. “That likely Facebook Dating shows
means they’re going to your age, but hides your
screen problem delay sell my dating preferences, last name. When you see
which means even more a suggested match, you
intrusions into my life.” “like” someone by tapping
By KELVIN CHAN where it was showcasing a standard smartphone Facebook says it won’t be a heart icon, or tap “X’’ to
AP Business Writer the device. when folded, but opens up doing any of that. But users dislike. You can’t search for
LONDON (AP) — Samsung’s The nearly $2,000 phone to the size of a small tablet, like Carter can hardly be mates by interests or other
highly anticipated fold- will launch on Sept. 6 in with the internal screen dis- blamed for their apprehen- keywords, the way you can
ing phone will go on sale South Korea, and Sept. 18 play bisected by a crease. sion, given the company’s with Match. You’re limited
Friday, after the original in France, Germany and It also has another screen multiple stumbles over pro- to what Facebook sug-
launch date was delayed Britain, with versions for next on the outside so it can be tecting people’s private gests. As with Tinder, you
by months because of em- generation 5G networks used when closed. information. Facebook was have to decide whether or
barrassing problems with available in the latter two Samsung has said the com- fined a record $5 billion not you like someone be-
the screen. countries. posite polymer screen can this summer by the Feder- fore seeing the next match.
The South Korean tech gi- Other markets including be opened and closed al Trade Commission over Facebook Dating won’t
ant had put the Galaxy the U.S. and Singapore will 200,000 times, or 100 times privacy violations. It’s also suggest friends as matches,
Fold’s launch on hold af- follow, but the company a day for five years. under scrutiny for allowing nor will your dating profile
ter reviewers encountered did not specify dates. “We’ve had to make some for the spread of election- show up on your main news
problems with the device’s The Galaxy Fold’s original really high-tech adjust- related misinformation and feed or be visible to friends.
innovative folding screen, April launch was pushed ments in how we’re going discrimination in U.S. hous- Facebook insists it won’t
which the company said back after reports that to make this device,” said ing ads. use information gleaned
on Thursday have now some reviewers’ phones Mark Notton, Samsung’s Facebook Dating comes from your dating profiles for
been resolved. were breaking. European portfolio direc- as the popularity of online advertising and says there
“During the past sever- Journalists who had re- tor. They include adding dating grows: In 2016, 15% won’t be ads on Facebook
al months, Samsung has ceived the phones to protective caps to the top of all U.S. adults said they Dating.
been refining the Galaxy preview said the folding and bottom of the hinge, had used online dating Facebook won’t let lonely
Fold to ensure it delivers the screen started flickering extending the screen pro- services, up from virtually hearts — or creeps — send
best possible experience,” and turning black before tector to better ensure none in 2005, according to photos or website links,
with improvements to the fizzling out. Two reviewers sure it stays in place, and the Pew Research Center. which could help cut down
phone’s “design and con- mistakenly removed the slimming down the hinge The market is crowded. on unsolicited photos. As a
struction,” the company screen’s protective outer and narrowing the gap be- From old school sites like safety measure, you can
said in an announcement plastic layer. tween the hinge and the eHarmony to Hinge or The also share your location
at the start of a consumer The Galaxy Fold is slightly body when the phone is League, a members-only with friends while you’re on
electronics fair in Germany longer and narrower than closed, Notton said.q service promising to bring a date.q