Instagram is adding an additional two features to Live videos, allowing users to both switch off their microphone and/or video, while continuing to stream.
These new set of additions, while rather minimalistic and simple in nature, seem to be part of Instagram's big push towards supporting influencers on its platform. This announcement follows their addition of features allowing influencers to sell personal merchandise on the platform. The additions could also be a part of Instagram attempting to give competition to Clubhouse, as is speculated by TechCrunch. Considering how well this feature would line up with the introduction of Instagram's Live Rooms, that particular theory doesn't seem particularly farfetched.
Of course, being a Facebook owned company would eventually mean adopting some of its traits as well. Facebook itself has been notoriously well known for attempting to establish itself into other already well occupied niches. With Fb Gaming attempting to compete against Twitch, adopting Stories across itself as well as Instagram and WhatsApp to emulate Snapchat, and establishing Marketplace to overtake the likes of Ebay, there is very little that the social network hasn't tried to gain control over. Instagram attempting at rather directly providing friction to Clubhouse, which itself is an Apple based live chatroom service, honestly seems rather in character at this point.
This isn't even Instagram's first dance at such a competitive drive. Earlier in 2020, Insta's chief officer and head Adam Mosseri introduced Reels to the platform. Reels is unabashedly a TikTok counterpart, allowing users to make short videos with up to 30 seconds worth of content, and publishing them for recognition. It's e-commerce options for influencers on the platform also seem suspiciously similar to what Snapchat and TikTok have already been doing for different brands on their respective interfaces. Although that last point is hardly fair criticism, considering the importance on the online commercial scene.
Having said that, Live Rooms is here to stay for the nonce. Therefore, let's start discussing what the features offer. The ability to mute one's own stream, and simultaneously or separately turn off their video isn't really an innovative marvel. Many would even argue that it's basic functionality, that should have been present since the inception of the feature. Clubhouse has these, Omegle does as well, and their absence in apps such as Zoom and Skype would be tantamount to sacrilege for users. Therefore, there's really not much commentary to offer here. Facebook rushed to fill out another niche, and only after that rush did they decide to think back and add in such basic features.
Read next: Beware! A New Verified Instagram Scam Is Making Rounds On Social Media
These new set of additions, while rather minimalistic and simple in nature, seem to be part of Instagram's big push towards supporting influencers on its platform. This announcement follows their addition of features allowing influencers to sell personal merchandise on the platform. The additions could also be a part of Instagram attempting to give competition to Clubhouse, as is speculated by TechCrunch. Considering how well this feature would line up with the introduction of Instagram's Live Rooms, that particular theory doesn't seem particularly farfetched.
Of course, being a Facebook owned company would eventually mean adopting some of its traits as well. Facebook itself has been notoriously well known for attempting to establish itself into other already well occupied niches. With Fb Gaming attempting to compete against Twitch, adopting Stories across itself as well as Instagram and WhatsApp to emulate Snapchat, and establishing Marketplace to overtake the likes of Ebay, there is very little that the social network hasn't tried to gain control over. Instagram attempting at rather directly providing friction to Clubhouse, which itself is an Apple based live chatroom service, honestly seems rather in character at this point.
This isn't even Instagram's first dance at such a competitive drive. Earlier in 2020, Insta's chief officer and head Adam Mosseri introduced Reels to the platform. Reels is unabashedly a TikTok counterpart, allowing users to make short videos with up to 30 seconds worth of content, and publishing them for recognition. It's e-commerce options for influencers on the platform also seem suspiciously similar to what Snapchat and TikTok have already been doing for different brands on their respective interfaces. Although that last point is hardly fair criticism, considering the importance on the online commercial scene.
Having said that, Live Rooms is here to stay for the nonce. Therefore, let's start discussing what the features offer. The ability to mute one's own stream, and simultaneously or separately turn off their video isn't really an innovative marvel. Many would even argue that it's basic functionality, that should have been present since the inception of the feature. Clubhouse has these, Omegle does as well, and their absence in apps such as Zoom and Skype would be tantamount to sacrilege for users. Therefore, there's really not much commentary to offer here. Facebook rushed to fill out another niche, and only after that rush did they decide to think back and add in such basic features.
Read next: Beware! A New Verified Instagram Scam Is Making Rounds On Social Media
