Facebook launches a video speed-dating app Sparked: A couple of years ago, the social media giant Facebook came up with an online dating app service to compete with apps like Tinder, OkCupid, and Bumble. In today’s virtual world that app is hugely popular with users. The American company is currently experimenting with a speed dating app called ‘Sparked’ to increase that popularity and expand its dominance in the dating world.
This is different from the Facebook dating app, as it is a video speed-dating app, although it will also require a Facebook account. Facebook’s experimental app team, NPE, is developing this app. Facebook Sparked has a dedicated site, where users can sign up for this dating platform. However, the site is not currently available in India.
According to a report in The Verge, Facebook Sparkd differs from other dating apps in that it lacks access to public profiles, swiping, and even DM (direct messaging). The app is basically a video chatting platform, where four minutes of speed dating can be done. However, in the case of this virtual dating, if both parties want to spend some more time with each other, Facebook will give them the opportunity to extend the time limit to 10 minutes. As it progresses, users will be able to communicate with each other via Instagram, iMessage, or email.
The report further states that the main theme of Facebook Sparked is kindness. The web page of the application clearly states, “Video dating with kind people” (“video dating with kind people”). Even when a user is signing up for a dating app, the user must write a few words in support of the reasons why he or she can be considered a kind dater. This is important because a human reviewer will read those reasons properly and decide if the user can use the dating app. In this app, the user will have the opportunity to choose male, female, nonbinary, and trans options as per his choice.
Facebook will also recommend compatible people through the user’s personal profile. It will also show relevant dating events based on “who you are and what you’re looking for” (“who you are and what you’re looking for”), and users can choose which one they want to participate in. However, the initial stage of going to these events depends on the recommendations of Facebook.
As mentioned earlier, Facebook Sparked is currently only accessible through the website. Its iOS or Android version is not yet available. Since it’s part of Facebook’s pilot project, it may or may not be officially launched.
