Twitter launches public test of ‘Circles’ for private chats via tweet

Twitter has launched a public test of its new ‘Twitter Circle’ option which will enable users to create a private group chat via tweet, with an audience control process that enables one to share tweets with a specific group of chosen contacts.

Users will be able to up to 150 people in their Circle with the tweets being only visible to the people listed and these members will also be alerted that the tweets are only viewable by those in the group with the help of a green indicator attached to each Circle tweet. This option is an extension of Twitter’s reply control option which was launched back in 2020, which enables the users to decide who can see and respond to their tweets.

Twitter’s also looking forward to boosts its Communities option which enables users to segment their Twitter audience, so that they can share more specific discussions with specific groups, as opposed to broadcasting everything to all the followers. This will give Twitter users the opportunity to engage with a broader range of topics, as they won’t feel constrained to post only what they think their established audience will respond to and like.

Problem with Circles is that many users conduct discussions within the DMs and group chats with their close friends already as it is more comfortable sharing their personal opinion in a private space and hence it seems that they will not be more exposed to the Circles option.
In addition to this, Twitter users also have lists to stay in touch with their most important connections, or they can just whittle their Following list down to the most important profiles and a more practical, and valuable application of the same core concept would by Twitter’s other in-development restricted sharing option ‘Facets’, which would enable users to follow each profile based on different topic interests.

Twitter first previewed Circles option in July last year and noted that the Circles tweet would show first in user timelines which is a significant element. Twitter is known as a ‘global town square’ where people can get all the updates and latest news. When DMs already exists and create more intimate connection or segment the audience into specific groups there is Facets, there is no big value in segmenting Twitter discussions.