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Back in the day, the only way to let your crush know your real feelings on social media was to either slide into their DMs or accidentally like an old post during a lovestruck deep dive into their profile.
Facebook wants to alleviate some of that awkwardness by giving users a designated platform to express their amorous intentions with the new “Secret Crush” feature, The Verge reported. Whether or not this actually makes the whole thing any less awkward or creepy remains to be seen.
The new feature is part of Facebook Dating, which is not yet available in the United States. For users in the 19 countries where it has launched, however, Secret Crush lets you come clean with up to nine friends. When you like a friend, they’ll get a notification that someone liked them, but Facebook will keep your identity a secret. If they also pick you as one of their “secret crushes,” both users get notified and Facebook will reveal their identities.
Facebook dating, which recently expanded to 14 additional countries, is available to users 18 and up. The free dating service is part of Facebook’s main app, but users create a separate dating profile that shows potential matches less personal information than a user’s full Facebook profile.
According to The Verge, Facebook’s dating service most closely resembles dating app competitor Hinge, which shirks Tinder’s iconic swiping format in favor of question-and-answer profiles designed to spark conversation between matches. Facebook Dating also links groups and events, providing users opportunities to mingle both on and offline.
All things considered, Facebook’s anonymous Secret Crush feature is pretty low-risk way to go about shooting your shot with a friend. If you can get over the strong middle school “check yes or no” note-passing vibes, it’s at least a little less creepy than invading someone’s DMs.
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