According to the notification that appears when a user tries to create a live stream, the platform clearly states: We have changed the requirements for using this feature. Only public accounts with 1,000 or more followers can play live videos.
Meta - Instagram's parent company said that the goal of the new policy is to " bring the best experience to content creators" and improve the overall quality of the live broadcast feature.
However, Meta did not clearly explain why allowing low- followers to livestream accounts affected the experience. The company also said that the new regulation will apply to private accounts, but currently it is only applied to public accounts.
Tightening live broadcasting conditions is considered a step to better control livestream content on the platform, in the context of social networks increasingly facing the situation of abusing this feature to spread false information, offensive content or violating community standards. However, this move also caused a lot of controversy, especially for small accounts, new users or individuals who only want to broadcast live to interact with friends.
Many opinions are concerned that Instagram is increasingly prioritizing professional "creators" groups and ignoring the daily interaction needs of popular users. Removing livestream rights for accounts with less than 1,000 followers may cause many people to leave the platform, especially in the context of rival apps such as TikTok or YouTube Shorts constantly expanding access for users at all scales.
