Facebook launches live video for public figures

However, this service only allows public figures to communicate through live video, while the rest of us can access these videos in our News Feed. Stars like The Rock and Serena Williams will stream today. It’s a bit more interactive however, as it’ll alert you when your friends and other celebrities are watching.

Twitter has always been the network that was better than Facebook at connecting celebrities and fans.

Another reason: videos don’t disappear. On Periscope, they live for another day.

Facebook apparently isn’t ready to fully jump on the live video streaming bandwagon just yet, but it has made a move in that direction today. The live video fad first found favor with mobile app Meerkat’s debut in February. That might make VIPs feel like recording Live streams is worth their time.

Facebook is betting big on this feature and as a matter of fact they will also be prodding users by sending them a notification for the page they have been recently interacting with. From the “old fashioned” YouTube video blogs to the more trendy and sophisticated live streaming services such as Meerkat and Twitter’s Periscope. Now, Facebook’s joining the fray – but there’s a hitch: You have to be a celebrity to use it.

A small team in Facebook’s Menlo Park’s headquarters started working on Live in September.

Meerkat, a startup, launched in February and gained popularity during the South by Southwest tech festival in Texas the following month. Comments can also be hidden. The end product offers advanced moderation options to keep Live streams clean. Completed broadcasts will be uploaded to the influencers’ Facebook page, or they can choose to update.

It’s not clear yet whether ordinary folk will be able to live stream video in the future.

During your broadcast, you’ll see how many viewers you have and can respond to comments live. The Mentions ensured that celebrities had a greater level of engagement with fans and the live video feature only takes this entire experience to the next level.