Facebook To Offer Its Mentions+Live-Streaming Service To Verified Profiles Soon

Facebook rolled out Facebook Mentions in July 2014 with the aim of enabling celebrities and public figures, or their page administrators, to monitor mentions and respond to fans via mobile devices.

Apart from celebrities, when launched for other users as well, Live can prove to be a useful feature by giving access to creators to conduct contests, DIY project walk-throughs, talk shows, first-person adventures or even on-spot journalism, something which is already popular over Periscope.

On August 5th, Facebook launched Live, which lets broadcasters instantly start a live video stream on Facebook.

While having a verified profile was already a prerequisite for using the Mentions app, actual access to its set of features was limited to certain public figures like musicians, actors and athletes, approved on a case-by-case basis. Users can tune in to watch in real-time and submit comments that appear on the broadcaster’s screen.

This feature is not to be confused with Facebook’s original content interview series Facebook Live, which seems to be on hiatus.

Beykpour, on a live stream announcing Periscope’s subscriber achievement, said that the unit now has 23 full-time employees and that they are continually working to improve the product and its offerings.

The reason for Facebook not opening the system to everyone is that it’s probably figuring out a way to handle the load as well as likely using celebrities as an example of what users should do with such services. Unlike its competitors in the space such as upstart apps Periscope and Meerkat, Facebook can offer the average user more value in live streaming because, while other apps require users to build a following or recruit an audience from another social platform, most users have a built-in audience on Facebook that will make live streaming more engaging civilians.

The expansion brings Facebook Live broadcasting one step closer to universal access.