Entering the realm of content creation is difficult enough without limitations imposed by platforms. Instagram has now joined the ranks of other social media applications in enforcing a limitation, necessitating that users possess a minimum of 1,000 followers before they can broadcast live. In the past, Instagram permitted anyone to go live, irrespective of their account status.

The information started to spread once smaller creators posted the announcement on various social media channels. The announcement reads, “Your account is no longer eligible for Live. We altered the prerequisites to utilize this feature. Only public accounts with 1,000 followers or more will be able to produce live videos.”

TechCrunch verified with Instagram that this modification was deliberate. As anticipated, smaller creators are dissatisfied with this alteration, and it has faced widespread backlash on social media. Creators maintaining private accounts cannot broadcast live at all, even if they exceed 1,000 followers. Instagram asserts that the modification was implemented to “enhance the overall Live viewing experience.”

There are advantages and disadvantages to this decision. On one side, small creators will struggle even more to enter the market since accumulating followers without purchasing them can be a protracted endeavor. Conversely, Instagram likely eliminated numerous low-quality streams with minimal viewers, making it simpler to locate higher-quality live content and saving Meta expenses.

This adjustment brings Instagram in closer alignment with TikTok’s live streaming guidelines. However, the follower count required on TikTok can differ, with many gaining access before hitting 1,000 subscribers. Currently, Facebook’s Help Center indicates that going live on Facebook necessitates only a 60-day-old account and a minimum of 100 followers. YouTube allows individuals to go live with merely 50 followers, while Twitch continues to be the most accessible platform with no follower restrictions.