Facebook Will Let Verified Accounts Access Live Streaming Feature

Soon it won’t just be for celebrities anymore: Facebook confirmed to Josh Constine of TechCrunch that verified profiles will gain access to its Facebook Mentions application. “In the future, Mentions will be available to verified Profiles”, wrote the company in a reply to numerous queries from verified pages about when they’d get access to Mentions and Facebook Live.

Given Facebook changed its tune from just a week ago when it was cagey about when more people would get Live, things seem to be moving quickly and I’d expect Live to open up to Verified Profiles before the holidays.

Facebook recently announced an addition to the product, enabling users to broadcast live streaming video.

The time watched metric also enables Periscope to capture viewership of its users’ live broadcasts outside of the Android or iOS environment, such as on periscope.tv.

Still not keen on letting “normal” folk on their live-streaming platform, Facebook has revealed that they do plan to let other not-so-famous people to stream their mundane lives on their Periscope and Meerkate competing live-streaming service. Some have used it to hold real-time video Q&As, others have made announcements.

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.

Whilst Periscope have a head start on Live and already have 10 million registered users, Facebook’s dominance and ability to scale its platform, a new era of social media is looming and the race to be leader is underway.

Facebook verifies celebrities, public figures, global brands and businesses, and media.

By giving access to more creators, Live could soon bring contests, DIY project walk-throughs, call-in talk shows, first-person adventures, nerdy news discussions, and more to a Facebook window near you.