Twitter adds Direct Messages button to share tweets privately

Twitter has added a new button for Direct Messages (DM), which allows users to share tweets privately. The feature has been rolled out to both iOS and Android users and is compatible with one-on-one messaging and group messages.

Twitter users will have to update the app, after which, when tweeting they will notice a new envelope icon next to the heart or "like" button. Users will have to simply tap on it to share a tweet privately with others and can opt to add a comment before sharing a tweet in a group or another user.

Product manager at Twitter, Somas Thyagaraja, said in a company blog, "Starting today, you'll notice something new on Tweets — a Message button. With this new feature, it's simple to share a Tweet via Direct Message and spark a private conversation. This update is our next step towards making conversations richer in Direct Messages."

The social media giant said that the move has been inspired by its DM feature's immense popularity. According to the San Francisco-headquartered company, in 2015 alone it registered a 60% growth in the number of people using DM to send private messages and share tweets privately. The growth factor rose exponentially in late 2015, with Twitter boasting of a 200% rise in privately shared tweets.

The move is reflective of the social media giant's intentions to attract more users. The tech firm has been aggressively attempting to combat user growth stagnation over the past year.

In efforts to attract more users and engage them within the platform, Twitter has entered the sports domain and will live stream NFL Thursday night football games for free.

It seems like the tech giant is following in the footsteps of rival Facebook, which is increasing its focus on videos, as the latter's Sports Stadium feature may have diverted related conversations away from Twitter.

Winning the streaming rights to Thursday night football would sure help Twitter expand its user base by luring loyal NFL fans.