Facebook launches ‘Secret Crush’ dating feature which lets you subtly romance nine people

It’s a nightmare when you’re too shy to approach your crush and ask them on a date.

Now Facebook wants to help you get over the pain and let not just one person know how you feel – but nine.

At its annual F8 developers’ conference last night, the tech behemoth showed off a new dating feature called ‘Secret Crush’.

This will allow users to select up to nine people they’re already friends with and label them as prospective love matches.

If your victim, sorry, potential beloved has opted into Facebook Dating they will receive a notification which lets them know someone has a crush on them.

Facebook also debuted an overhaul of its core social network on Tuesday, taking its first concrete steps to refashion itself into a private messaging and e-commerce company as it tries to move past scandals while tapping new revenue sources.

Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a fresh design for the world’s biggest social network that de-emphasized its News Feed. It also ditched the signature blue banner that has been on the app since its launch.

The new design showcases Facebook’s messaging app, online marketplace and video-on-demand site, while giving greater prominence to the popular photo-driven Stories feature.

Zuck said: ‘As the world gets bigger and more connected, we need that sense of intimacy more than ever. That’s why I believe that the future is private.

‘This is the next chapter for our services.’

Facebook launched its dating service last year and said it’s designed to create ‘real, long-term relationships’ rather than hook-ups.

The feature will enable users to create a separate dating profile to their existing Facebook account, with the site then offering recommendations about the sorts of people it thinks users will like.

And seeing how much the social network knows about its users, its matchmaking is likely to be better than any parent, friend or rival dating service could manage.

Love-seekers are paired based on shared interests and friends they have in common.

Facebook has not launched its Dating service in the UK and it’s currently only available in Colombia, Thailand, Canada, Argentina, and Mexico, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Guyana, Suriname and the Philippines.