Instead of just live tweeting their thoughts to everyone all at once, more Twitter users are now able to set some tweets to only be visible to specific people.
While Twitter announced that it began testing its Twitter Circle feature earlier this month, it appears that the social media platform has now expanded its test to more users. This past weekend, Android Police reported that the feature is now live for more users and shared a series of screenshots showing how Twitter Circle will appear. Twitter Circle is still not available for everyone, however, despite the expanded rollout.
https://twitter.com/TwitterSafety/status/1521540727557218309
Based on the screenshots Android Police shared, the Twitter Circle feature is accessible from the screen in which you would compose a tweet. Just above where you would type your tweet is a drop-down button menu in which you can choose your audience (in this case you can choose Twitter Circle). You can also add or remove the people in your Twitter Circle. Twitter does not notify other people if you remove them from or add them to your Circle.
But tweets that are only for Twitter Circle-approved people will be marked with a green note that says: “Only people in @[twitter account name’s] Twitter Circle can see this Tweet.”
If Twitter Circle has rolled out to you, you should be able to see it on the mobile app or on the web. In one of the screenshots, a test Twitter Circle tweet looks to have the retweet button grayed out, and so it appears that other users won’t be able to retweet these tweets.
The Verge also notes that “up to 150 users” can be added to a Circle “whether they follow you or not.”
Instagram is testing a new format for long-form videos called Features. It allows select creators to upload horizontal videos running up to 90 minutes long. Instagram has already tested the new format with creators in Brazil, and now, it's expanding to tens of thousands of creators across the US.
How will Instagram's new Features format work?
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
I have lost count of how many times I have gone to bed thinking I will finally sleep on time, only to somehow end up scrolling Instagram or X again. A few minutes turn into an hour, then another, and before I notice, it is 2 or 3 a.m. The next morning, I am usually annoyed with myself because I could have just slept and felt considerably better for the day ahead.
It is also a surprisingly hard habit to beat. Knowing you should put the phone down does not always help once it is already in your hand. Brick Night is a new gadget built around that exact problem. Instead of relying on you to remember to turn on an app blocker, it automatically restricts selected apps and websites when your phone enters your chosen sleep space during the hours you set.