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.

Facebook has rolled out a new “ask” feature for those profile pages that don’t list relationship statuses. The owner of the page doesn’t see the button — only the person who is checking out the page.

By clicking “ask,” you can send the user a message related to his status (such as “want to grab a drink sometime?”), as well as a request to list his status as single, engaged, married or in a civil union.

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.

It’s also possible to update your entire network with this information too, but Facebook is probably guessing — correctly — that you’d simply list your status already if you wanted everyone to know.

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.

Let the awkward inquiring begin.

BY SAMANTHA MURPHY KELLY in Mashabale.com

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Posted from 8wDee.com.