By Chathushka Perera
London, UK (CWBN)_ Starting with the US, Facebook has begun its campaign of encroachment on the online dating industry and as of yesterday (21st October), adding Europe to the list of markets the service would cover, posing fierce competition to traditional dating networks like Tinder, Match and Grindr.
The service with the same features as its US counterpart would be accessible via the Facebook mobile app, would operate via a user’s existing Facebook account and match the users’ preferences and activity with that of others using the service.
Although Facebook remains confident about the service’s privacy policy, many remain concerned over the proximity it would have to other Facebook features and products, including Instagram. In fact, the service which was initially supposed to launch in Europe on Valentine’s Day (14th February), was stalled following alarms raised by the Irish Government.
In Europe, companies that launch such services are required to undergo the Data Processing Impact Assessment (DPIA) conducted in recognition of General Data Protection Regulation in the European Union and European Economic Union Law. Facebook failed to secure the EU approval prior to assigning its launch date.
Edited by Elishya Perera
