It's Now Super Easy To Bug Friends On Facebook To See If They Are Single Or Not
If you've been eyeing someone on Facebook whose profile doesn't list a relationship status, the company is making it easier (or possibly more awkward) to find out if he or she's single.
By Sadho Ram — 20 May 2014, 11:42 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
Have you been eyeing someone on Facebook whose profile doesn't list a relationship status? Well, Facebook has made it easier to find out if he/she's single.
Over the past few months, Facebook has been rolling out an “Ask" button feature, which is displayed on parts of a person's profile that have not been filled out completely. hese include a Facebook friend's phone number, alma mater and -- by far the creepiest one that most commentators are paying attention to -- relationship status.
The owner of the profile doesn't see the button. It's only the person who is checking out the profile can see it.
And, here's how it works:
By clicking "ask," you must send the user a message related to the status (such as "want to grab a drink sometime?"), as well as a request to list a status as single, engaged, married or in a civil union.
Users must be friends with the person in order for the "ask" button to appear.
mashable.com
The owner of the Facebook page then receives a request to list select a status that only the sender can see. This means your status can remain private but visible to only those who "ask" for that information, if you so wish to divulge it.
gizmodo.com
The feature introduces a new way to use Facebook as a way to find dates
With the continuing success of online dating sites, and Facebook's massive user base, the only surprise here is that the feature wasn't introduced sooner.
jezebel.com
A user's relationship status can also be of use to marketers that target products or services to certain demographics
By answering an "ask" request, a Facebook member is telling the site their status (even if it's not visible to the public) and in turn, giving the company that personal data.
mashable.com
It's also possible to "ask" for other unlisted information too, such as phone numbers, email addresses, current city, hometown and place of employment. That part of the "ask" feature started popping up on mobile and desktop versions of the site a few months ago, but the relationship status component is new.
According to a Facebook spokesperson there’s no way to prevent the "Ask" button from showing up, which is incredibly annoying for obvious reasons
People share what they’re comfortable sharing. All the button does is enable nagging from people who aren’t close enough with you to know where you went to college, if you’re single, or whether you were spared in the last round of company layoffs.
time.com
