New Twitter Feature Allows Messages To A Circle Of Friends: Why Some Users Don't Like It

Twitter Inc TWTR is testing a new feature to make the social media platform more intimate.

What Happened: Twitter on Tuesday announced that “Twitter Circle” is now available to users. The feature allows tweets to be sent to a limited number of people that a user can designate. The group is limited to 150 followers.

Some Tweets are for everyone & others are just for people you’ve picked.

We’re now testing Twitter Circle, which lets you add up to 150 people who can see your Tweets when you want to share with a smaller crowd.

Some of you can create your own Twitter Circle beginning today! pic.twitter.com/nLaTG8qctp

— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) May 3, 2022

Once a Twitter user picks the people in their Twitter Circle, any messages sent will be visible only to members of the group, and only those respondents will be able to reply.

The new feature also allows you to remove people from the circle, without notifying them they’ve been excommunicated.

What’s Next: The Twitter Circle feature was unveiled via a tweet, and there were mostly negative responses from the platform’s users.

Some voicing their concern that the feature could only magnify divisions that already exist.

Hmm. Not sure this is a good idea. It could potentially create echo chambers.

— David Penfold (@PenfoldDavid) May 3, 2022

Also Read: Facebook Whistleblower Optimistic About Musk's Twitter Move, Says He Can Take Feedback Better Than Zuckerberg

This Twitter user said the point of using the platform is to share thoughts with as many people as possible.

This is precisely why I have a social media account – to make sure as few people as possible view my tweets, hear my opinions and are swayed them, or see pictures of my cats. 🙄

In case you were wondering, that’s sarcasm.

— Windhorse 🌻🌻🌻 (@Windhorse_1) May 3, 2022

Others pointed out that the feature takes away from the fun of using Twitter, and that it doesn’t actually provide additional privacy.

This is unnecessary.

Too many features will ruin the fun, and uniqueness of the app.

To think that, a member of the circle can screenshot the tweet and still tweet it for the general TL.

This idea is not thought through enough.

— 💕'BAMI🗣 (@OOluYinKah) May 3, 2022

As of the time of publication, Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk has yet to share his thoughts on Twitter Circle. Will he like it? Will he use it? Who would he include in his 150-person circle, from his over 90 million followers? We'll likely find out soon enough.