TikTok has been letting users know about its expanded DM options, which include the ability to let anyone message you. Several users have been notified about the new features via email, as The Information reports. The feature was added in November and lets anyone DM you, possibly signaling that the company is promoting private messaging.

TikTok appears to be broadening its scope to include private messaging, as it battles tech giants such as YouTube, which feature interactive comments under every video.

Along the other side of the spectrum are apps like Instagram and Snapchat; although it’s still possible to post publicly on these, direct messages are a crucial component of the experience. It looks like TikTok’s progression may signify that it is attempting to move further away from YouTube and closer to different social media.

If you go to Settings and Privacy > Privacy > Direct Messages in the TikTok app, you have several choices about who can send you DMs. networks. You have the choice to allow anyone to send you a DM, limit it to “suggested friends” or mutual friends, or turn it off completely.

If users opt for the “Everyone” selection, this could lead to a spike in the messaging feature on TikTok. This provides users a way to reach out to their favorite creators or other users from other platforms.

According to the marketing executive Brendan Gahan, the app is making progress from being solely for entertainment to a full-fledged social network. “They are emphasizing your social connections”, he wrote in a LinkedIn post.