Picture this: you’re at home, alone, and you suddenly feel an overwhelming urge to bellow into the abyss. Perhaps you’ve just formulated a take too spicy for the written word. Perhaps you’re just mad about shit. You open up your Facebook app but right when you tap “LIVE” you catch sight of your face — hideous, gnarled, cracked and broken. You swiftly close out of the app, burdened with a heavy sense of grief. Still burdened with that yearning to release your hot take, you begin to weep.
Facebook has fixed this problem for you. On Tuesday, the company introduced Live Audio. In a blog post, Facebook explained that after seeing Pages find a myriad of “creative ways to go live and reach audiences with audio only” it decided to roll out an audio-only feature for Facebook Live.
Live Audio mock-up via Facebook
Furthermore, the company explained that “Live Audio presents another option for connecting with audiences in real time from low-connectivity areas.”
Every day it becomes easier and easier to shout into the endless hollow chamber of social media. With Live Audio, you no longer even have to show your face. Your hollow eyes, full of grief can remain safe, hidden, distinctly yours.
But you’ll have to wait. Facebook will begin testing Live Audio in the coming weeks, partnering with BBC World Service, Harper Collins, and several others. The feature will be available to other publishers and users in early 2017.
Into the darkness, we slowly march.
[Facebook]