TikTok has been letting users know about its expanded DM options, which include the ability to let anyone message you.

 According to The Information, the platform has been sending emails to some users to let them know about the relatively new options, which were added in November and include the ability to let anyone DM you, potentially signaling that the company’s trying to push its private messaging features. 

One of TikTok’s main competitors, YouTube, is closer to the pure entertainment side. 

Closer to the other end of the spectrum are apps like Instagram and Snapchat; while you can absolutely post publicly on them, and people have made careers from doing so, direct messages are a core part of that experience. 

TikTok’s expansion could be a sign that it’s trying to move away from the YouTube side and closer to the other social networks.

 If it’s widely adopted, the Everyone option could make messaging much more common on TikTok; people could potentially reach out to creators they like or other users they don’t know from other platforms.