Today, Instagram live video starts rolling out to the masses allowing users to begin a broadcast from the stories camera. Users will also be able to interact with their followers on this video service. Just like most live video services, viewers can add comments and send hearts to the video. However there is a catch, as soon as the video ends, it disappears Snapchat-style with no hope of anyone viewing in in the future.
This change alone makes Instagram’s live video implementation a departure from the version implemented earlier this year by Facebook. To boast the service, Instagram is promoting broadcasts from users you don’t follow in a “top live” widget at the top of the feed.
Instagram live is designed to feel more intimate than its corporate sibling’s. When you go live in Instagram, the app will notify only a subset of your followers — the ones who engage with your photos and videos the most. And if someone harasses you, you can report them or block them from ever seeing your broadcasts.
Live video is rolling out to a test group of users today. This will be part of a bigger update that also includes a redesigned version of Instagram Direct that will come in a few days time.
