How to send Multiple contacts a text but not in a group for individual responses

[jpwhre]

It's been some time since I had to worry about this, and now don't know where to find in settings. 

Simple text "It's me" to many recipients and it not be a group text (response comes to me only, and my response goes back to them only)

Simple text "it's me" group message (any response goes to everyone, and so on, and on....)

How do I set this when I have a list of people I want to text (at once) but any response comes to me only? I don't want to share my contact list in a text, but after many years, I think it's time to change my number. Would like to tell all at once in single text. 

[DanG92263 · Accepted solution]

Open Messages app
Click More icon (three vertical dots in upper right)
Click Settings
Click More Settings
Click Multimedia messages
Turn off group conversation.
Back out to main screen in the Messages app

Now you can create a group message to no more than 10 recipients. All responses will return to you as an individual message and not to other group members.

[jpwhre]

Thank you.

[jpwhre]

One more question? What is the blue dot (red arrow) and what is the icon next to name (blue circle)? I think the blue dot refers to contact list, but Justin (above blue circle) is in my contact list, Ron is in my contact list, Alex (blue circle) is not in my list. Ron gave his child my contact info (Ron has samsung) thru text (to Alex)

I'm just curious to what the icons are. Any relation to Samsung users?