Instagram Now Requires 1,000 Followers to Go Live, Impacting Creators and Strengthening Platform Safety

Instagram has made a new change to its platform that affects live streaming. The Live feature will now require users to have at least 1,000 followers. This update comes right after the company established new safety and blocking features, primarily aimed at younger users. 

Users with fewer followers can still use video calling to communicate with others, but they will be unable to host public livestreams. This move is expected to have an impact on smaller creators, as going live can help with discoverability and audience growth. Instagram has not officially stated why it made this change, but one possible reason is to prevent misuse, such as streaming inappropriate or harmful content. Setting a follower limit makes it more difficult for banned or new accounts to go live again after breaking the rules. 

This change also aligns Instagram with platforms like YouTube and TikTok, which already require a minimum number of followers for live streaming. In addition, Instagram has added two new safety features aimed at teen users. If a teen initiates a chat, the app now displays safety tips, such as checking the person's profile and being cautious about what they share. It also shows when the other user's account was created, allowing teens to identify suspicious or fake accounts more easily. 

Overall, these updates are intended to make Instagram a safer and more manageable environment, particularly for younger users and live content creators.

Information referenced in this article is from India TV