Instagram just made a quiet but significant change that has stirred up reactions across the creator community. As of now, you need at least 1,000 followers to access the Live video feature on the app. There was no major press release, no CEO statement, and no warning for regular users, just a new restriction quietly rolled out, locking out thousands of creators who had previously used the feature without issue.
On the surface, it might seem like a minor update. But dig a little deeper, and this change signals something much bigger: Instagram is no longer trying to be a social network for everyone. It’s morphing, more than ever, into a space for creators or more specifically, for creators who have already built sizable followings.
For years, Instagram’s Live feature has been one of the few open-access tools available to all users. Whether you had 10 followers or 10,000, you could go live, share a moment, start a conversation, or promote your work in real-time. It was raw, immediate, and for many small creators, incredibly useful. But that’s now changed. The moment you try to go live with fewer than 1,000 followers, you’re met with a notice that you’re not eligible no matter how long you’ve been on the app or how engaged your existing followers are.
The most likely explanation is moderation. Livestreaming is risky business for platforms. Unlike pre-recorded content that can be flagged, filtered, or removed before it spreads too far, live videos happen in real time — with all the potential for abuse that comes with it. Over the past few years, we’ve seen disturbing incidents on live streams across several platforms, and tech companies have been under increasing pressure to control what gets broadcast under their brands.
TikTok and YouTube already have similar requirements — TikTok also enforces a 1,000-follower minimum for going live, while YouTube ties livestream access to verified accounts and subscriber milestones. Instagram, owned by Meta, is simply following that trend. In that context, the decision does make sense. It’s a way to reduce risk by making live access something users have to “earn” through community-building and engagement.
It’s also worth noting that not all creators are trying to be influencers. Some are teachers running free workshops. Some are students sharing experiences. Some are entrepreneurs hosting live demos for a few dozen loyal customers. They’re not chasing virality, they’re building community. But Instagram’s new rules treat everyone below the 1,000-follower line the same way: as unqualified to go live.
To me, this change is a clear message: Instagram is no longer interested in being the social media app for casual sharing. It’s doubling down on becoming a stage and only performers with a crowd get the mic.
This raises questions about fairness and accessibility. If follower count becomes the gatekeeper for features, what happens to authenticity? What happens to niche creators with small but engaged audiences? More importantly, what does it say about Instagram’s priorities? That numbers matter more than trust. That reach matters more than intent.
There’s also the uncomfortable reality that follower counts can be bought. If the goal is to reduce bad actors, requiring 1,000 followers doesn’t guarantee safety, it just adds a numerical paywall. It might even push more users to purchase fake followers just to unlock access, which hurts both the platform and the creator ecosystem.
For many small creators, it may be time to rethink platform strategy. If Instagram continues to restrict features to only high-performing accounts, the platform becomes less of a growth space and more of a competition. Diversifying across platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and even newer players like Lemon8 might offer better opportunities especially for creators who value authenticity over virality.
Instagram’s new policy might reduce risks, but it also reduces access. And in the process, it may be pushing away the very users who helped build the platform in the first place.
