All Twitter users can now use the functionality that allows them to tweet solely to their close friends. Twitter Circle is now available to all users after over four months of testing to make individuals feel “more comfortable tweeting and expressing themselves.”

The “close friends” option on Instagram is similar to Twitter Circle. Users can specify some tweets to be seen only to a smaller “circle” of up to 150 followers, which is intended to be a type of halfway ground between public and private accounts. The function could assist in resolving a persistent problem for the company, which is the fact that many Twitter users don’t feel safe tweeting frequently, either out of concern for abuse or simply because of the demands placed on accounts with public profiles. It’s interesting to note that according to Twitter’s early tests, users who use Circle tweet more frequently overall and receive more likes and comments while tweeting to a smaller audience. The business adds that it also lessens the need for customers to switch back and forth between private and public accounts or have a supplementary account.

The most recent attempt by Twitter to give users a place to communicate with smaller audiences without making their accounts private is Twitter Circle. Additionally, the firm has experimented with Communities, a feature similar to Facebook Groups, and subscriber-only content for authors with Super Follows. But an even easier method of managing the audience for each tweet is Twitter Circle, which users may access right from the tweet composer. Increased involvement may appear at odds with the “town square” concept of Twitter championed by its prospective acquisition, but it may benefit the business.