X, formerly known as Twitter, is discontinuing its Circles feature, which enables users to share posts exclusively with a select group rather than their entire follower base.

X 'Deprecating' Circles Feature

In a recent public service announcement (PSA) issued on Thursday, X confirmed that Circles will cease to function after October 31.

The company explained on its help center that following this date, users will no longer have the capability to initiate new posts limited to their Circle, nor will they be able to add individuals.

However, the ability to remove individuals from the Circle will remain intact, and the company has provided comprehensive instructions on how to perform this action. If you unfollow an individual who is part of one of your Circles, they will lose the ability to view your private Circle tweets.

Even if you decide to re-follow them later, these Circle tweets will remain inaccessible to them. That implies that Circle tweets will likely retain their privacy even after the program's discontinuation.

Read Also: Twitter Circle Issue Claimed to be a 'Security Incident,' Company Said it is Already Fixed

Possible Reason

Twitter has not offered definitive clarification on this matter. If you have concerns, it may be advisable to consider deleting those tweets.

X lacks additional details about "deprecating" Circles, leaving some uncertainty surrounding the term. The company's actions could encompass discontinuing technical support for the feature or completely removing it from the platform. 

While X has not provided a specific rationale for discontinuing the feature, The Verge reported that it is worth noting that the company has been placing increased emphasis on its Communities feature.

This feature shares similarities with Facebook Groups. The company's strategic shift suggests that X could perceive Circles and Communities as having considerable overlap, leading to the decision to phase out one of them.

Twitter introduced its Communities feature in 2021, providing users with a distinct experience that shares some similarities with Circles.

This feature enables individuals to connect with like-minded users on the platform who share common interests, whether about dogs or astrology. In contrast to Circles, tweets posted in Twitter Communities are visible to the broader Twitter user base.

It is conceivable that X owner Elon Musk's allusion to "improved Communities" may imply the potential addition of a feature allowing the creation of private Communities, similar to the concept of a Twitter Circle. 

In August last year, Twitter launched Circles as a means for users to share tweets exclusively with a specific subset of their followers, like Instagram's Close Friends feature.

However, in April, PCMag reported a security breach within the feature, inadvertently making some of these restricted tweets visible beyond their designated private Circles.

Twitter attributed this incident to a "security incident" and expressed its unwavering commitment to safeguarding user privacy. The company acknowledged the potential risks associated with such occurrences and expressed deep regret over the incident.

Related Article: Twitter Circle, a Feature Similar to Instagram's Close Friends, is Now Available Worldwide