Facebook jumped into the live-streaming market Wednesday as the social media giant announced its “Live” video platform exclusively for celebrities.
The platform gives a “new way for public figures to share live video from Mentions with their fans on Facebook,” the company said. “With Live, public figures can take fans behind the scenes, host a Q&A, share announcements, and more — all in real time.”
The feature inside its VIP-only app allows celebrities to broadcast live videos to their fans, similar to Meerkat and Periscope. The Facebook feature archives the live streams to the celebrities Facebook page and also allows users to comment in real-time as the livestreams occur.
Celebrities participating in the launch include Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Serena Williams, Luke Bryan, Ricardo Kaka, Ashley Tisdale, Lester Holt, Martha Stewart, and Michael Bublé.
Facebook Mentions is available on iOS. The feature is mobile-only, but Facebook users can watch live videos across platforms (web, iOS and android).