YouTube is taking more cues from TikTok and Instagram, adding a small new feature that will let you know if a channel is streaming live.
While the platform has offered livestreaming since 2016, you’ll now see a ring sitting around a YouTube channel’s circular icon with the word “Live” across it, which users can click to lead them to the stream.
YouTube’s chief product officer, Neal Mohan, made the announcement on Twitter last week.
Really focused making it easier for users to find livestreams on @YouTube so we’re rolling out the Live rings feature on mobile! @YouTubeCreators streaming live will now have a ring around the channel avatar & clicking on the avatar will take you directly to the livestream.
Neal Mohan
TikTok and Instagram already feature a similar ring, which circles an account’s profile picture while they’re livestreaming.
This isn’t the first time YouTube has revealed a TikTok-esque update to its platform. Most significantly, the company rolled out YouTube Shorts last year, a direct TikTok competitor promoting short-form videos on YouTube’s mobile app.
TikTok lending inspiration to other tech companies is well evidenced: Netflix added “Kids Clips” to its iOS app in a handful of countries last year, a feature displaying short clips from their child-friendly content.
It’s no real surprise to see these platforms constantly copying TikTok — it was, after all, the most downloaded app in the world last year.
