Instagram now requires users to have a public account with at least 1,000 followers to go live on the platform. This change was confirmed by the social network to TechCrunch. Previously, Instagram allowed anyone to go live, whether their account was public or private and regardless of their follower count.
This update will impact smaller creators who don’t meet the 1,000-follower threshold, as well as casual users who enjoyed going live with friends for fun. Those with private accounts or fewer than 1,000 followers will see a notice when attempting to start a live video, informing them that their account is no longer eligible. The message states, “We changed requirements to use this feature. Only public accounts with 1,000 followers or more will be able to create live videos.”
Many users have expressed frustration with the change on social media, with some calling for Instagram to reverse the decision. The new policy aligns Instagram more closely with TikTok, which also requires 1,000 followers for live streaming. In contrast, YouTube only requires 50 subscribers for users to go live.
Instagram has not provided a detailed explanation for the change but mentioned that it aims to enhance the overall live viewing experience. By restricting access to users with established audiences, the platform may reduce lower-quality streams. Additionally, this move could help Meta cut costs, as hosting live streams is expensive, and the company may prefer not to support broadcasts with very few viewers.