Everyone on YouTube can now do it live. The top video sharing platform has opened up live streaming to all its users, so long as they can “verify their account and are in good standing.”
A blog post announced the new feature, which continues YouTube’s recent trend toward engagement and watch time. The post explains YouTube will be “rolling out the feature over the next few weeks.” In addition to live streams, creators will be able to easily set up Google Hangouts with their fans.
YouTube previously announced its plans to challenge sites like Twitch.TV by offering live streams catered towards game developers who wish to share gameplay footage. The new service will accomplish that goal and will also extend to individual gamers as well, though YouTube probably needs to stop destroying its gaming creators if it hopes to woo their live streaming minutes over from Twitch.
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YouTube already allowed live streams for select creators. Most recently, dozens of YouTube creators live streamed for the Covenant House charity as part of What’s Trending‘s annual Tube-a-Thon.
Thanks to the new rollout, creators all over YouTube will be able to host their own Tube-a-Thons.
