Instagram has implemented a significant policy change, now requiring users to maintain a public account with at least 1,000 followers to access its Live feature. This restriction marks a departure from the platform’s previous open approach, where any user—regardless of follower count or account privacy—could broadcast live content.
The new barrier impacts smaller creators and casual users who utilized Live for personal interactions, displaying an ineligibility notice when they attempt to stream: “We changed requirements to use this feature. Only public accounts with 1,000 followers or more will be able to create live videos.” Public backlash has emerged across social media platforms, with users demanding a reversal of the decision.
Instagram’s policy now aligns with competitor TikTok, which enforces an identical 1,000-follower threshold for live streaming. YouTube maintains a substantially lower barrier, requiring just 50 subscribers. While Instagram stated the change aims to “improve the overall Live consumption experience,” industry analysts suggest two underlying motives: reducing low-quality broadcasts by prioritizing established creators, and cutting operational costs. Hosting livestreams represents significant infrastructure expenditure for parent company Meta, making broadcasts with minimal viewership financially unsustainable.
This strategic shift highlights Meta’s prioritization of professionally oriented content over community accessibility, fundamentally altering how smaller accounts engage with Instagram’s real-time features.
