Instagram users now need a public account with a minimum of 1,000 followers to perform live on the platform. Until now, Instagram has allowed anyone to live, regardless of their followers or whether their account is public or private.
The move will hit small creators on the platform that meet the requirements of 1,000 followers, as well as regular users who liked to go out to live with their friends.
Users who do not have public accounts and have fewer than 1,000 followers will receive new notifications when they attempt a live show, saying their accounts are no longer eligible for a live show. The notification states, “We have changed the requirements to use this feature. Only public accounts with over 1,000 followers can create live videos.”
Users have gone to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the change, and some have asked to reverse it.
This change brings Instagram live functionality along with Tiktok's live functionality. This is because short form video apps require users to live with at least 1,000 followers. In comparison, YouTube requires that the channel have a minimum of 50 subscribers live.
The company did not provide a specific reason for the change, but noted that the move was designed to improve the overall live consumption experience.
This change could limit low-quality streams by allowing users with an established audience to live.
Meta is also a way to save money. Hosting live streams is expensive, so Meta may have decided that she doesn't want to support the broadcast with just a handful of viewers.