Today Facebook launched the social graph in the UK. You can see from the below screenshot how this can be used to search for friends and friends of friends who are single. Could this be the start of Facebook entering or getting more involved in the online dating world?
With the introduction of #hashtags it was clear Facebook was treading on Twitters toes. Now social graph is a clear attack on Googles market share of the search world. It also includes searches for local restaurants etc. which will no doubt eventually include ads to build on the advertising revenue for the site and shareholders. This could affect sites like tripadvisor which have been traditionally used to find social reviews of restaurants.
Facebooks global reach means whatever direction they try to move in it will have an effect on the industry as a whole. Social graph looks to be the start of an expansion into new areas and a clear note of intention by the Facebook dev team.
Will it affect dating sites currently, no. But what if the next step was to introduce a button or click box along the lines of “I want to meet new people”. When someone checks that you signal you’re OK with being contacted by people outside your social circle. This would make a big impact on the online dating world and move Facebook into introductions as opposed to just connecting with existing friends.
