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YouTube relaxes restrictions to allow anyone to live stream video and Google+ Hangouts

YouTube relaxes restrictions to allow anyone to live stream video and Google+ Hangouts

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All YouTube users with verified accounts in good standing will soon be able to stream live footage. YouTube is now rolling its live streaming capability out worldwide, after first restricting access to users with 1,000 subscribers in May, and then relaxing that limit to 100 subscribers in August of this year.

An account in good standing must have no strikes against its name for community guideline or copyright infractions, and must not have had any videos blocked by YouTube's own Content ID within the last six months. In addition to live streaming sportsnews, and video games, users who fulfill these criteria will also be able to stream a Google+ Hangout on Air on YouTube directly. Where before Hangouts on Air were only shown on Google+ itself, they can now be launched through YouTube's events manager, and their broadcasts replayed in the future on the video site.

These changes bring YouTube's streaming policy closer to rivals such as Ustream and Twitch, which allow new users to sign up and stream. For more information, and streaming strategy, YouTube points users to its Creator Playbook.