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Instagram has abruptly changed the rules of engagement for live content creators. Public accounts now require a minimum of 1,000 followers to access Live broadcasting—a policy shift confirmed by Meta after days of user reports about blocked access. The notification appearing for affected users states bluntly: "We changed the requirements to use this feature. Only public accounts with 1,000 followers or more will be able to create live videos."

Meta's justification centers on ensuring "the best experience for creators" and driving "improvements in the feature's overall usage experience." Yet the company offered no technical or UX rationale for why smaller accounts inherently degrade Live's functionality. This opacity fuels speculation about underlying motives—whether infrastructure cost management, content moderation scalability, or strategic prioritization of established creators.

Broader Implications for All Users

The restriction isn't limited to public profiles. Meta confirmed the 1,000-follower threshold will extend to private accounts, with rollout already underway. This effectively kills Instagram's 2024 "close friends only" livestream feature, which allowed broadcasts to select groups of up to three people. The move eliminates one of Instagram's last intimate communication tools, signaling a shift toward broadcast-scale interactions.

Behind the Policy Shift

Several technical and strategic factors likely influenced this decision:
- Resource Allocation: Live video demands significant bandwidth and server resources. Restricting access could reduce infrastructure costs by focusing on high-reach streams.
- Content Moderation: Smaller accounts may pose higher moderation risks relative to audience size. Limiting access streamlines enforcement.
- Creator Ecosystem Strategy: Meta appears to prioritize users who can generate platform engagement and ad revenue, aligning with Instagram's competition against TikTok Live and YouTube Live.

The Barrier to Entry Problem

This policy creates a chicken-and-egg dilemma for new creators: Building an audience requires engagement tools like Live, yet Live is now restricted until reaching an audience milestone. Developers building social integrations should note Meta's increasing feature gating—a trend that may extend to other APIs. While established creators gain reduced competition, grassroots communities and niche voices lose a vital real-time interaction channel.

Instagram's evolution from a photo-sharing app to a broadcast platform continues, but each step toward professionalization risks alienating the very users who fuel its growth. As platforms mature, accessibility often becomes collateral damage in the pursuit of curated experiences—leaving developers and creators to navigate the fallout.

Source: Engadget