A lot of profiles will say things like “only looking for friends” and such, but that’s more about image than reality in case someone else sees it (though, yes, everyone knows what is actually going on). There are people who do use it for friends, but it is (or at least was until I got married a few years ago) still used for its, er, intended purpose.
I wonder what protections they have. Japan has been fighting a similar thing and upping protections and their enforcement, but it’s still not where it needs to be.