Instagram now requires users to have at least 1,000 followers to go live
In a major shift, Instagram has updated its Live feature policy, now requiring users to have at least 1,000 followers and a public account to start a live video. The change, recently confirmed by Instagram to TechCrunch, marks a significant departure from the platform’s previous openness — where anyone, regardless of follower count or account privacy, could go live.
What’s Changing?
Previously, Live was available to all users — whether their account was public or private, and whether they had 10 or 10,000 followers. But under the new rule:
- Your account must be public
- You must have a minimum of 1,000 followers
If you don’t meet these requirements, you’ll now see a message that reads:
“We changed requirements to use this feature. Only public accounts with 1,000 followers or more will be able to create live videos.”
Why This Matters
This update is a blow to smaller creators and casual users who enjoyed going live for fun or to connect with their friends. Many users have already voiced frustration online, urging Instagram to reconsider the restriction.
For comparison:
- TikTok already has a similar 1,000-follower minimum for going live.
- YouTube is more lenient, requiring just 50 subscribers for mobile live streaming.
Why Instagram Might Be Doing This
While Instagram hasn’t offered a detailed explanation, several likely reasons stand out:
- Improved Viewer Experience: By limiting Live access to creators with established followings, Instagram may be aiming to reduce low-quality or spammy livestreams.
- Cost Efficiency: Hosting live video is expensive. Limiting who can go live could help Instagram (and its parent company, Meta) cut down on infrastructure costs for streams with few or no viewers.
- Aligning with Competitors: Bringing its policy closer to platforms like TikTok could be part of a broader content quality and monetization strategy.
