Twitter's Periscope App Now Updated With "Follower Only" Mode to Keep Total Strangers from Publicly Trolling You
Twitter launched Periscope, an app that lets you broadcast live video to the world, barely a months ago. Now, it has updated its livestream app acquisition with the introduction of the new "follower only" mode. "If you turn this on," said Twitter, "only viewers that you follow can comment on your broadcast." Everyone can only passively watch your broadcast, although they can still still tap their screens to launch hearts in your direction. It's a good way to keep total strangers from trolling you publicly.
Aside from the new "follower only" mode, the "watch" tab has also been split into separate categories - "friends" and "global." The "global" section allows users to watch the most recent, live broadcasts from around the world. As the name itself says, "friends" gives you the option to watch the broadcasts of only the people you know.
The update has also made it easier to block people from a stream, whether or not you're the broadcaster. Now you can just tap a name and you'll have the option to either block that person or go directly to his or her Periscope profile. Finally, the update now includes the blue checkmark badge for verified users that Twitter uses for its users.
Periscope's other features remain as follows:
• REPLAY: When your broadcast is over, you can make it available for replay so viewers can watch later. Viewers can replay your broadcast with comments and hearts to relive the full experience. Replays currently last 24 hours. You can delete your replay at any time.
• PRIVATE: If you want to broadcast to specific people, press the lock icon before going live and choose who you want to invite to your broadcast.
• TWITTER: You can choose to share your Periscope broadcasts on Twitter by tapping the bird icon before you start broadcasting. When you go live, you'll tweet a link so that your Twitter followers can watch on the web (or in the app)
• MANAGE NOTIFICATIONS: Periscope will suggest people for you to follow based on your Twitter network. You can always follow new people, or unfollow them if you don't want to be notified when they go live. You can also adjust notification preferences in Periscope Settings (in Profile)
• HEARTS: Periscope keeps track of how many hearts you get from your viewers. The more hearts, the higher you get in the "Most Loved" list.
The Periscope app for iOS-powered devices is now available for free at the Tunes App Store. Twitter says that an Android version is also on its way and will be announced later when ready for release.