data protectionists prevent the start of Facebook dating service

Facebook wanted to start its new dating function right on Valentine's Day. The Irish data protection authority has now thwarted these plans.

Introducing the Facebook dating app in San Jose, California. PHOTO: REUTERS / STEPHEN LAM

Facebook has postponed the start of its dating function in Europe indefinitely after the Irish data protection agency intervened. Privacy advocates said they were concerned that the online network only informed them of plans to bring the flirt platform to Europe on February 13 earlier this month. Therefore, the authority carried out an “inspection” on Facebook in Dublin last Monday and collected documents.

On Wednesday, Facebook said it had worked on strong data protection measures for the function and the assessment of the data collection, and shared them with the Irish authorities when requested. A day earlier, Facebook had only declared that it was taking "a little more time to prepare the product for Europe" - without mentioning the controversy with the data protection experts.

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The Irish data protection authority DPC is responsible for Facebook in the European Union because Facebook has its European headquarters in Dublin. A DPC spokesman said it was the first such inspection since the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force in May 2018.

Users over 18 can create a profile

With Facebook's flirt function, users over the age of 18 can create a separate dating profile. Facebook then suggests potential partners based on their knowledge of users' interests and activities.

Facebook friends are exempt from this - unless you mark them in the dating profile as a "secret swarm". Users will only find out about this if there is mutual agreement. To make the flirting function safe, no photos, web links, videos or payments can be sent between the dating profiles, Facebook emphasized at the US launch of the function last September.