Facebook adds ‘secret crushes’ so you can see which friends are thirsting after you

Facebook Dating still isn’t available in the United States. But in the five countries where it launched already — and the 14 more that are joining the service today — there’s a new way to see which friends might be romantically interested in you. “Secret Crush,” as the feature is called, lets you express interest in up to nine friends. If that friend has opted into Facebook Dating and likes you back, they get a notification saying someone likes them. If they pick you as one of their secret crushes, you both get notified.

You won’t be able to add anyone who hasn’t created a Dating profile, the company said. That could entice more reluctant Facebook users to give Dating a shot — who isn’t curious to see whether a friend secretly likes them?

For those who haven’t seen it yet, Facebook Dating closely resembles its competitor Hinge. Unlike Tinder, it doesn’t ask you to swipe on potential matches. Instead, you answer question prompts and initiate conversations based on a photo or written answer in a person’s profile. It integrates with Facebook groups and events, encouraging you to find romantic partners both online and offline.

For now, Dating lives within Facebook’s mobile app. It’s available to users 18 and older, it’s free, and there are no ads or paid features. When you opt in, you’ll be asked to create a separate dating profile with a more limited amount of personal information that will be shown to your potential matches.