I'm Muslim, I know where OP is coming from, but...the HN thread where people vigorously debated whether the idea of interacting with people they might eventually have romantic interest in is "American" is a top 10 HN moment for me, and I've been here 14 years.

I'm interacting with you now. Are we on a date?

Dating is a ritual interaction, it's not just term for any interaction. A tell that it is new is that the name is meaningless; it's just a term for an appointment that got wrapped up in a bunch of connotations that became denotations. Also see "go out" or "go with."

No, a comment reply isn't a date: i.e. not a interaction that signals you have continued proactive interest in me

Ask me to some in person interaction and it becomes ambiguous.

Alternatively, replying to me often and making flattering comments.

As a Swede who lived in NA, it definitely seemed like an Americanism.

Yep, Nordic countries you skip the “dates” and go straight to casual sex, if that works out well enough you might go out for dinner together.