Facebook is making live video more like FaceTime
To take the pressure off broadcasting yourself to the world, Facebook will let you live stream alongside friends.
Facebook's iPhone app will now let any live video broadcaster invite a viewer to join the stream, the social network announced on Tuesday. The feature was previously limited to verified Facebook pages and profiles.
Two-way video turns Facebook's live experience into a mix of Apple's FaceTime and Houseparty, a popular app among teens that lets multiple people video chat at the same time. Unlike Houseparty, you can only share a live stream with up to one other person at a time.
Another update announced on Tuesday will let viewers have a private conversation with friends while watching a live video. Facebook said that it added the feature because people "want the option to interact with only their friends during a public live broadcast."
Facebook has been sharply criticized in recent months for how live video has been used to stream suicides, murders, and other horrific acts. The company has started rolling out changes to improve the reporting of live videos, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that Facebook would hire 3,000 more moderators to help keep offensive content off the platform.