Instagram Brings Live Broadcasts For Close Friends

Instagram is rolling out a new way to livestream to a smaller, more private audience. Now, Instagram users will be able to host Live broadcasts only available to their curated list of Close Friends. Up to three other accounts will be able to join the Live broadcast and stream with the original user. The feature will be made available globally.

Until now, starting a Live broadcast meant that anyone could tune in and watch it if the user’s account was public, and all followers would be able to watch the stream if users had a private account.

Live videos are a popular feature for celebrities and influencers chatting with followers or fan accounts streaming live footage from concerts. In simple words, content that’s more focused on wide audiences and for public consumption.

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What Is The Purpose Of Live Broadcast For Close Friends

The ability to go live for a small group of people feels similar to a giant FaceTime call than to a public livestream -- and, indeed, use case examples offered by the company are more intimate. Users will be able to start sharing influencer content like haul or “GRWM” videos without judgment from some followers, for instance, or host a study session with some of their friends.

Instagram has focused more on private modes of using the platform, attributing significant growth to features like direct messaging. In November, users got the option to make posts on their grid visible only to close friends instead of their full follower list.

In May, Instagram added the ability to mute interactions from all users but their close friends, meaning users wouldn’t see comments, DMs, mentions, and more if they chose stricter safety settings. This kind of filtering was intended to limit harassment content creators might face but has since expanded in use and can be used by anyone who is seeking for a smaller, more curated Instagram experience.

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Instagram Testing Unskippable Ad Break Feature Like YouTube

Instagram is testing ‘Ad Break’ which will force users to watch advertisements and it can’t be skipped. Several Instagram users reported on this experiment where a user has to watch three-to-five-second non-skippable ads while scrolling the feed.

The new functionality is being tested on a few users on a pilot basis. However, Meta has not released any official statement regarding the experimental feature. A Reddit user spotted the feature and shared the screenshot on the social media platform.

People who came across this experimental ‘Ad Break’ functionality with a countdown timer. When the user clicks on the ‘i’ button it shows, "You're seeing an ad break. Ad breaks are a new way of seeing ads on Instagram. Sometimes you may need to view an ad before you can keep browsing."