Facebook Messenger Rooms adds live broadcast video calls

In the next step to integrate its apps, the social networking giant has introduced a new tool for users to broadcast live to Facebook from Messenger Rooms. This feature is rolling out in some countries on Facebook and Messenger web from Friday and will soon expand to all countries where Messenger Rooms is available as well as to the Facebook and Messenger mobile app and Messenger desktop app. The users can turn group video calls in Messenger Room into a Facebook Live broadcast with up to 50 people.

“As a room creator, you can broadcast your room to a Profile, Page or Group, and invite people to tune in,” Facebook said in a statement.

Between WhatsApp and Messenger, more than 700 million accounts participate in calls every day. In many countries, video calling on Messenger and WhatsApp more than doubled, and views of Facebook Live and Instagram Live videos increased significantly.

Live broadcasts from Pages doubled in June 2020 compared to the same time last year, largely attributed to broadcasts since March 2020,” informed Jasmine Stoy, Product Manager, Facebook.

This is how it works: 

Create a room that can go live right from Facebook or Messenger web, and invite anyone to join, even if they don’t have a Facebook account.

The room creator controls the live broadcast, including where the room is shared on Facebook, who can view the broadcast and who’s invited to participate.

All the room participants will receive a notification inviting them to join the live broadcast and will have to opt in to participate.

They can also choose to leave the room before it goes live.

The room creator can add or remove participants from the live broadcast at any time and room participants can leave the live broadcast at any time.

“Room creators can also lock and unlock a room during the live broadcast,” said Facebook.

When a room creator chooses to go Live, the broadcast is shared to Facebook and people outside the room may see what’s happening in the room based on the audience and where the room is shared on Facebook. Facebook said that as with other Live videos, they may collect and review audio and video from the broadcast to make sure it follows Community Standards.

“We’ll continue to add enhancements over the coming months,” it added.