People trying to avoid Meta’s data-hungry mobile apps are finding fewer places to hide. Users on Reddit report that Facebook Dating has stopped working in mobile browsers, with the feature now demanding they install the full Facebook app to continue swiping
The complaints started surfacing this week on r/facebook, where one user explained they’d been doing a social media detox by sticking to browser-only access. “Today I discovered that Facebook Dating no longer works in the browser at all,” they wrote, adding that the feature now forces an app install. Other users quickly chimed in with similar experiences, saying the change happened within the past few days.
What makes this tricky is that Meta has always officially positioned Facebook Dating as app-only since it launched in 2019. The company’s help pages still say Dating is only available in the Facebook apps for Android and iPhone, not on computers or web browsers. But plenty of users in the thread insist they’ve been accessing it via mobile browsers without issue until now, which suggests Meta may have tolerated unofficial workarounds that are only just getting shut down.
Some people aren’t happy about it. One commenter said they won’t install “the very intrusive app” and are done with Dating altogether. Another compared it to when Meta forced Messenger into a separate app years ago, calling it another move to collect more device data and location information that browser users can easily block or spoof. Privacy-conscious users pointed out that employer-owned phones or personal preference for desktop interfaces make the app requirement a dealbreaker.
The reaction has been mixed. A few users said they’ve only ever seen Dating in the app and were surprised anyone managed to use it elsewhere. One enterprising Redditor already posted a workaround involving VirtualBox, an Android emulator, and sideloading an APK, though that’s probably too much hassle for most people.
Meta hasn’t issued any statement about removing browser access or tightening enforcement, so it’s unclear if this is a quiet rollout, a bug, or just the end of the road for an undocumented feature that was never supposed to work in the first place. Either way, if you were dodging the app, your luck just ran out.
TechIssuesToday primarily focuses on publishing 'breaking' or 'exclusive' tech news. This means, we are usually the first news website on the whole Internet to highlight the topics we cover daily. So far, our stories have been picked up by many mainstream technology publications like The Verge, Macrumors, Forbes, etc. To know more, head here.
Dwayne Cubbins
1380 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
Follow Us
