Facebook is launching dating services in the United States, the social network said on Thursday.

Facebook is also giving people the ability to integrate their Instagram posts directly into their Facebook Dating profile and giving people the ability to add Instagram followers to their Secret Crush lists, in addition to Facebook friends. By the end of the year, the company make it possible to add Facebook and Instagram Stories to your Dating profile too.

Finding a romantic partner is personal, so Facebook says that the new service will be safe, inclusive and opt-in. You'll have the ability to report and block anyone; prohibit people from sending photos, links, payments or videos in messages; and you'll also have easy access to safety tips.

Starting today, you can choose to opt into Facebook Dating and create a Dating profile (separate from your main profile) if you’re 18 years or older and have downloaded the most recent version of Facebook. You will be suggested to others who have also opted in. People are suggested based on your preferences, interests and other things you do on Facebook. If you are interested in someone, you can comment directly on their profile or tap on the Like button to let them know. If you aren’t interested, you can pass on them. Facebook Dating allows you to match with friends of friends and/or people not in your friend circle. Facebook Dating won’t match you with friends, unless you choose to use Secret Crush and you both add each other to your list. All of your Dating activity will stay in Facebook Dating. It won’t be shared to the rest of Facebook.

Key Features

• People will soon be able to connect and share with Facebook and Instagram Stories. Today people are asked to make a decision as to whether or not they like someone immediately based on a static profile. To help you show, rather than tell, who you are, Facebook is bringing Stories to Dating. This format lets you be authentic in a way that a typical dating profile can’t, and it helps you get to know someone before and after you match.
  
• Secret Crush lets you match with people you already know on Facebook and/or Instagram. By default, Facebook Dating won’t match you with your Facebook Friends, but people told us they were interested in exploring potential romantic relationships within their extended circles, like their Facebook friend list and Instagram followers. The popular Secret Crush feature gives you the option to do just that. If you choose to use Secret Crush, you can select up to nine of your Facebook friends or Instagram followers who you’re interested in. (To add Instagram followers you must connect your Instagram account to Facebook Dating.) If your crush has opted into Facebook Dating, they’ll get a notification saying that someone has a crush on them. If your crush adds you to their Secret Crush list too, it’s a match. If your crush isn’t on Dating, doesn’t create a Secret Crush list, or doesn’t put you on their list — then no one will know that you’ve entered their name.
• You can now add your Instagram posts to your profile in Facebook Dating. Adding Instagram posts to your profile will make it easier to build a better dating profile, show aspects of your life to others, and find shared connections that spark conversation.
• Opt into Events and Groups to see people with similar interests. You can choose to see other people who are using Facebook Dating that fit your preferences within the groups you are part of and the events you have attended or will be attending. When you choose to see these people, you will also be visible to them.
• Feel safe by sharing details of your date. People using Facebook Dating can share details of their upcoming date and/or live location with someone they trust via Messenger. They will be able to control if they want to choose this feature. If they do, they are in control of who they share this information with.
• Creating your Dating profile is easier than ever. Based on feedback from people using Dating in other countries, Facebok has made it easier to create a
• Facebook Dating profile. With one tap, Facebook will suggest photos and information from your Facebook profile, which you can edit or remove. You can also create your own Dating profile from scratch.

In addition to the US, Facebook Dating is currently available in 19 other countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Guyana, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Suriname, Thailand, Uruguay, and Vietnam. It will be in Europe by early 2020.

With dating, Facebook returns to its roots, as the actuall motivation to enter the social network right from the beginning of its existence was actually reaching out potantial partners. With a well-established user base and a huge trove of information related to those users, dating seems to be a great way to increase users' engagement on the platform and thus, increase the revenue stream for the company.