Instagram live stories launches in the UK
UK-based Instagram users will be able to use and watch live videos under the social media giant’s Instagram Stories offering. The real-time video content can be found in Instagram’s Discover tab, which suggests content for viewers based on preferences. Videos are not saved to the app, and users can comment. Instagram has also revealed its first ad formats for the Stories option, with 150 million people using the option and a third of most viewed videos coming from brands. The feature is now available in France, Germany, Canada, Japan and Brazil.

Instagram users in the UK will be able to broadcast and watch live video starting from today (17 January).

The Facebook-owned platform announced it was unveiling a real-time video service back in November but British users are now be able to officially go live within its ephemeral content service, Instagram Stories.

The image and video sharing site wants to encourage its community to post content "in the moment," and to broadcast in real-time users simply need to swipe the Stories camera icon at the top of the app and toggle into 'Live' mode.

As seen in the picture above, live content will be showcased within Instagram's Discover tab which suggests content to users based on their viewing history and preferences.

Videos will disappear the second the broadcast ends rather than being saved to the app setting it apart from Facebook's Live function which saves videos long after they are first shot.

As with Facebook, viewers can react to the live-stream with comments and once live subscribers can pin comments for everyone to see or them off altogether.

At the time of launch last year Instagram product boss Kevin Weil told Re/code that the new feature was designed to make Instagram more personal rather than providing an alternative to traditional TV. He also confirmed that unlike Facebook, Instagram won't partner with brands or celebrities to encourage people to use its live product.

Just last week, Instagram revealed the first ad formats for its Stories section of the app, announcing it had already courted Asos, Nike and Airbnb as some of the first of 30 advertisers to get on board.

The company has said that 150 million people use Stories, the launch of which was inspired by rival Snapchat's own Stories section, each day. It added that brands have proved to be popular on Stories, with one third of the most viewed videos coming from businesses.

From today, the full Live experience will also be available in Germany, France, Brazil, Canada and Japan.