Instagram has introduced a new feature called “Close Friends on Live” that allows users to broadcast live exclusively to their Close Friends list. This feature allows users to go live with up to three other people and can be used for various purposes such as sharing thoughts, catching up with friends, sharing memes, planning trips, doing homework, or just hanging out casually in real-time.
Instagram launched live broadcasts in 2016, but they were always meant to be public and open to everyone who follows you. This new feature gives users control over who can see their broadcast, making it more appealing to those who haven’t used the feature before.
The introduction of “Close Friends on Live” indicates Instagram’s continued push towards more private and curated connections on its platform. This aligns with the introduction of the “Notes” feature last year, which allows users to post short text updates that appear at the top of their friends’ inboxes for 24 hours. Instagram sees this feature as a way for users to start conversations with their friends in a lightweight and private way.
This new feature is significant as it caters to the needs of regular users who miss the early days of Instagram when the platform was about connecting with real-life friends. As Instagram becomes increasingly associated with influencers and ads, it makes sense for the social network to release features that cater to the needs of regular users who value private and curated connections.
