Twitter began testing Circle with a small group of users earlier this month, and it now appears that it is beginning to roll out to more users (via Android Police). The feature works similarly to Instagram’s Close Friends in that it allows users to send tweets to a specific group of people rather than the entire Twitter community.
It is currently unknown how many people have access to Circle. More users (including myself) appear to be seeing the feature appear when they begin composing a tweet, but some users continue to report not having access.
Update your Twitter app or visit Twitter in a web browser to see if you have access to Twitter Circle. When you begin typing a tweet, you will notice a dropdown menu at the top that says, Everyone. You can limit your tweet to a specific audience by selecting Twitter Circle, or you can hit Edit to add or remove people from your Circle. If you add or remove users, Twitter will not notify them.
You can add up to 150 users to your Circle, regardless of whether they follow you. Users in your Circle will see a note at the bottom of Circle-only tweets (and vice versa) that says, “Only people in @[yourusernameTwitter ]’s Circle can see this tweet.” Tweeting to your Circle is similar to having a private account, except that it only limits access to specific tweets rather than your entire profile.
People in your Circle will be unable to retweet anything you post there, but they will be able to screenshot and download your tweets. It’s also important to remember that Twitter’s community guidelines apply even if you’re tweeting to a smaller audience.
Although more people appear to be getting access to Circle, Twitter spokesperson Joseph Nunez told The Verge that it is still in testing. “We are still testing Twitter Circle with a group of people globally across iOS, Android, and Web,” Nunez said. “The feature has not yet been widely distributed to everyone as we continue to gather feedback.”
