Instagram Live Now Requires 1,000 Followers

Instagram has implemented a policy requiring users to have a public account and at least 1,000 followers to access its Live streaming feature, with the restriction soon applying to private accounts as well. The change, confirmed by Meta and rolled out without prior announcement, now displays a notice to ineligible users explaining the requirements. Estimates indicate that up to 1.7 billion out of Instagram's 2 billion users may be excluded from using Live under the new rules. Instagram states the update is intended to improve the overall Live experience, but critics argue it severely limits opportunities for smaller creators and restricts discoverability. The move aligns Instagram with TikTok's similar policy and may also be motivated by the desire to reduce infrastructure costs and limit lower-quality broadcasts. The update has sparked disappointment among small creators and regular users who previously relied on Live for engagement.