深信對用戶的喜好和習慣都了如指掌的臉書（Facebook），終於也在美國推出了它的手機端新功能「約會」（Dating）。
作為全球最大的社交媒體平台，臉書擁有超過2億名「單身」用戶。當地時間周四，臉書在它的手機客戶端推出了「約會」新功能，旨在幫助用戶通過其強大的數據庫資料，找到與自己志同道合、志趣相投的另一半。
圖 via CNN
此前，國外已經推出過多款約會交友類網上交友平台，例如Tinder、Hinge和Bumble等，它們各自也都有一些獨特的功能，幫助用戶快速「鎖定」潛在約會對象。
那臉書的這個「約會」功能有什麼特別之處呢？
The new service, Facebook Dating, can be accessed in the Facebook app but requires users to create a separate dating-specific profile.
新服務「臉書約會」可以通過臉書的應用程序訪問，但要求用戶創建一個單獨的特定用於約會的個人資料。
It then links users with potential matches based on location, indicated preferences, events attended, groups, and other factors.
然後，它根據位置、偏好設置、參加的活動、小組以及其他因素，將用戶同其他潛在的與其相匹配的用戶連接起來。
Facebook Dating will integrate with Instagram and offer a feature called Secret Crush, which allows users to compile a list of friends they have an interest in, to be matched with if the crush lists them as well.
臉書約會將與Instagram整合，並提供一項名為「暗戀」的功能，允許用戶編輯自己感興趣的朋友列表，如果用戶互為「暗戀」的對象，那他們就可以相互配對。
▲Facebook has launched its new dating service in the US. Sounds safe, right? (via The Guardian)
此外，通常人們總是希望通過自己已有的社交圈來認識朋友的朋友，找到合適的對象。但臉書約會卻是反其道而行之，通過屏蔽自己的朋友圈來拓展圈外的約會資源。
Dating apps like Hinge have historically marketed themselves on their ability to match you with friends of friends—people with whom you already have existing social ties.
像Hinge這樣的交友軟體，它們歷來標榜的功能是，可以將用戶與其社交圈內的朋友相配對。
Facebook Dating also allows you to do the opposite: You can preemptively turn off matching with friends of friends, which may be a welcome option for anyone who wants to date outside their network.
而臉書約會也允許你反著來：你可以先發制人地關掉與朋友的朋友相配對，這可能對任何想與圈外人士約會的人來說都是一個受歡迎的選擇。
You can also block people from seeing your Facebook Dating profile, even if you want them to still have access to your Facebook or Instagram accounts.
你也可以阻止別人看到你的臉書約會資料，即使你希望他們仍然可以訪問你的臉書或Instagram帳號。
▲Facebook Dating Is Now Available in the US. Here’s How It Works (via Wired)
圖 via Wired
其實早在一年多前，臉書就公布了這個約會新功能，卻遲遲未在美國推出，而是先在哥倫比亞、巴西、加拿大等19個國家和地區率先試水。美國是其推出這項新功能的第20個國家。而臉書沒有從一開始就在全球大範圍推廣該新功能的原因之一就是，這家社交媒體公司一年多來一直因其數據隱私保護問題而受到抨擊，其中最引人矚目的就是英國劍橋分析公司（Cambridge Analytica）的醜聞。
The announcement of Facebook Dating comes days after the company admitted to exposing more than 419m user IDs and phone numbers online, a glitch in June 2018 made private posts of 14 million users public, and another breach in September 2018 compromised the data of 50 million users.
就在宣布約會功能的前幾天，臉書公司承認在網上泄露了超過4.19億個用戶ID和電話號碼，2018年6月的一個小故障導致1400萬用戶的私密帖子被公開，2018年9月的另一起黑客攻擊事件泄露了5000萬用戶的數據。
In a separate scandal it was revealed in 2018 the company improperly harvested the data of millions of users through a partnership with campaign firm Cambridge Analytica.
在2018年的另一起醜聞中，臉書收集的數百萬用戶的數據，被與其合作的政治咨詢公司劍橋分析公司濫用。
▲Facebook has launched its new dating service in the US. Sounds safe, right? (via The Guardian)
圖 via Getty Images
如今，臉書希望用戶通過它來尋找對象（網上最私密的活動之一），用戶怎麼看呢？
「Facebook is here to make money and I get that,」 said Seth Carter, 32, an engineer from Terre Haute, Ind., who tried a host of dating apps including Match, Bumble, Tinder and Christian Mingle before his current relationship.
「臉書是來賺錢的，我明白這一點，」32歲的Terre Haute公司工程師塞斯·卡特說道。在和目前的交往對象確定關係前，他嘗試過很多約會軟體，包括Match, Bumble, Tinder和Christian Mingle。
But he worries that Facebook’s stated commitment to privacy would ultimately buckle under pressure to make money off the service. 「That likely means they’re going to sell my dating preferences, which means even more intrusions into my life.」
但他擔心，臉書對隱私的公開承諾最終會屈服於賺錢的壓力。「這很可能意味著他們要出售我的約會偏好，這意味著對我生活更多的干預。」
▲Going from like to love: Facebook online dating service launches in U.S. (via Los Angeles Times)
社交媒體上，網友也是紛紛不看好臉書新推出的這個相親功能。
Get ready US singles: The company that sold all your data and surfaces old pictures of your ex all the time would now like to help you find love.
美國的單身人士準備好吧：這家一直在出售你所有的數據和公布你前任的舊照片的公司，現在想幫助你找到真愛。
Yeah, I definitely want to give Facebook Dating access to my “Secret Crushes” and the last bit of personal, intimate data they haven't already collected on me. What's not to trust?
是的，我絕對想讓臉書約會功能知道我的「暗戀」對象，和他們還沒有收集到的關於我的最後一點個人隱私數據。有什麼不能相信的呢?
你覺的臉書的約會新功能怎麼樣？歡迎留言並分享觀點！
整合：Du Qiongfang
資料：The Guardian, Wired, Los Angeles Times
圖/題圖：CNN, Wired, Getty Images
