You now need minimum 1,000 followers to use Instagram Live
What's the story
Instagram is raising the bar for its live-streaming feature. The social media platform now requires users to have a public account with at least 1,000 followers to access this feature. Until now, anyone could go live on Instagram regardless of their follower count or account privacy settings. This change may impact smaller creators and casual users who enjoyed going live with friends.
Notification update
New notification for users
Instagram has updated its notification system to inform users about the new requirement. If a user with a private account and less than 1,000 followers tries to go live, they will see a message saying their account is not eligible for Live anymore. The message reads, "We changed requirements to use this feature. Only public accounts with 1,000 followers or more will be able to create live videos."
User reaction
Users criticize new rule
The new rule has drawn a wave of criticism from users on social media platforms. Many have called for the decision to be reversed, voicing their displeasure with the updated requirement. The change is similar to TikTok's policy, which also mandates users to have at least 1,000 followers before they can go live. However, YouTube has a relatively lower threshold of just 50 subscribers for its live-streaming feature.
Improvement goal
Why is Instagram making this change?
While Instagram hasn't given a specific reason for the change, it has said that the move is aimed at improving the overall Live consumption experience. The new requirement could help reduce low-quality streams by only allowing users with an established audience to go live. This could also be a cost-saving strategy for Meta, as hosting live streams can be expensive and may not want to support broadcasts with only a handful of viewers.