Instagram Live broadcasts rolling out for ‘Close Friends’

Instagram Live is rolling out a new option to stream exclusively for a user’s ‘Close Friends’ list. This is intended to make interacting with your followers smaller, intimate, and handpicked.

Live has been a beloved feature, with the new mode gradually rolling out to cater to more private audiences. Again, the streams will only be available to a user’s curated Close Friends list.

Live broadcasts were available for anyone to tune in and watch if your account was set to public. This was inclusive of users who don’t follow you at all.

Live is commonly used by influencers and celebrities to chat with their followers in real-time. Now, users can choose to go live with selected audiences only.

In hindsight, Meta might have integrated this feature to push for everyday users to try it out. It could also be a push for the platform to develop online experiences with authenticity, similar to BeReal.

Seeing as going live felt only necessary for wider audiences, this change makes for meaningful, smaller scale interactions with followers.

For those who haven’t experienced it yet, think of it as an informal video call. However, the twist is responding to people in real-time via a scrolling chat feature. It’s largely similar to Twitch, TikTok Live, and YouTube Gaming streams.

The featured photo uses Instagram’s examples of how to use the feature. Share parties, study sessions, and other intimate events with your close friends.

Prior to this update, content for the Close Friends list has been limited to stories. These have generally been photos or clips of the user’s choosing. But now, the update provides a new, dynamic way of interacting with one’s followers.

Currently, up to three other accounts can join the Live broadcast to stream alongside the original user. In addition, if it isn’t available for readers yet, it will become accessible via a gradual rollout worldwide.