Instagram has quietly changed the rules for its Live feature, and millions of users are suddenly locked out. Unless you have a public account and at least 1,000 followers, you can no longer hit that “Go Live” button.
While many small creators and casual users are frustrated, Kate Ross, our co-founder & CEO, told Metro there’s a method to the madness. She points out that the update brings Instagram in line with TikTok, which has the same 1,000-follower requirement for live streaming, and is much stricter than YouTube’s 50-subscriber threshold.
Kate believes this is part of a broader push to professionalise the creator ecosystem — cutting down on spam, reducing the impact of burner accounts, and reserving Live for those who already have an engaged audience. “Reels and Carousels are there to expand audience reach,” she explains, “whilst Lives is focused on deepening engagement with loyal fans.”
For smaller creators, the message is clear: build your audience first with shareable content, then use Live to connect more deeply. It’s a strategic shift, but whether it inspires creativity or just frustration remains to be seen.
