Meta, the parent company of instagram, explained that this change is intended to enhance the overall experience for both regular users and content creators by presumably encouraging higher engagement and quality in live broadcasts. however, the company has not provided detailed explanations on how exactly the number of followers correlates with the quality or value of the live streaming content. some industry analysts suggest that a primary motivation behind this decision could be to cut down on the operational costs related to hosting live streams, especially for accounts with relatively small audiences that may generate less interaction and viewership.
this policy shift has triggered considerable backlash among the instagram community. many users perceive it as an unnecessary limitation that restricts creative freedom and undermines the platform’s diversity of voices and content styles. critics argue that smaller creators and niche communities are disproportionately affected, as the new follower requirement prevents them from leveraging live video as a tool to grow their audience and connect in real time. despite these concerns, it’s worth noting that instagram’s new live streaming rule brings it in line with tiktok, which already enforces a similar follower minimum for live broadcasts.
adding to the controversy, this decision may also result in the discontinuation of instagram’s “live with 3 close friends” feature, which was introduced earlier in 2024. this feature allowed users to live stream simultaneously with up to three trusted friends, fostering a more intimate and collaborative broadcasting experience. the potential removal of this feature only deepens the debate around the implications of instagram’s updated policy on community engagement and content diversity.
as instagram moves forward with these changes, it remains to be seen how creators and users will adapt to the new restrictions, and whether meta will implement further adjustments based on user feedback and platform performance.