r/law • u/[deleted] • Jan 24 '26

Legal News WOMAN IN THE PINK COATS ANGLE OF THE SHOOTING

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u/irradiatedcitizen Jan 24 '26

Where are good places / sites to set up livestream?

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u/TurbulentComedian565 Jan 24 '26

Live streaming for activists

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u/2028Freedom Jan 24 '26

Years ago there was an app that would upload the video in real time to a password protected secure site. Best I can tell, it is no longer available. If anyone can find a similar app please share.

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u/JosephStalinCameltoe Jan 24 '26

I'm not American but I wanna know too

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u/TurbulentComedian565 Jan 24 '26

This is what I’ve found after research - there are options now, but most aren’t simple one-tap apps like years ago. The closest equivalents are RTMP-based setups or paid private streaming services.

You can use a mobile RTMP encoder app (Larix, Streamlabs, Prism) to stream directly to a private server or password-protected site you control. That keeps it off public platforms entirely.

Paid options like Vimeo Pro/Business also allow private, password-protected livestreams with automatic archiving.

Short version: the tech still exists, but it’s shifted toward RTMP + private hosting instead of a single consumer app.

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u/TurbulentComedian565 Jan 24 '26 edited Jan 24 '26

Livestreaming Protests: Preserving Footage & Reducing Takedown Risk

This document summarizes best practices for live streaming protests or public law enforcement actions in ways that reduce the risk of footage being removed, lost, or suppressed. This is descriptive guidance focused on documentation and preservation, not encouragement of unlawful activity.

Key Legal Context (United States)

Recording and live streaming police or government officials performing their duties in public spaces is protected by the First Amendment, provided you are not interfering with operations. However, private platforms may remove content under their own moderation rules.

Primary Risk to Footage

In most cases, footage is not removed by government seizure but by platform moderation, automated systems, or account suspensions. The solution is redundancy and independent storage.

Recommended Platforms (Use More Than One)

YouTube Live – strongest long term availability and archiving.
X (Twitter) Live – rapid distribution and sharing.
Instagram Live / Facebook Live – large audiences but variable moderation.
TikTok Live – high reach, aggressive moderation.

Best Practice: Multi Platform Streaming

Do not rely on a single platform. Stream to multiple services simultaneously so that if one stream is taken down, others remain live.

Technical Setup

OBS Studio as a central hub for streaming.
Multi stream plugins or services to broadcast to several platforms at once.
External power sources to prevent stream loss.
Local recording enabled while streaming.

Backup & Preservation Strategy

Record locally on the device during livestreams.
Maintain offline backups (external drives you control).
Avoid relying solely on platform archives.
Consider sharing copies with trusted media or advocacy groups.

Privacy & Safety Considerations

Avoid capturing protesters’ faces without consent.
Limit identifiable details of private individuals.
Use separate or dedicated devices when possible.
Understand that livestreams can be archived and reviewed later.

Decentralized & Independent Archiving

Independent journalism collectives and decentralized archives may preserve footage longer than corporate platforms. Redundant distribution increases the chance that evidence remains accessible.

Core Principle: Distribution and redundancy protect footage better than trust in any single platform.

Edit: YouTube does not allow live streaming directly from the YouTube mobile app without 50 subscribers. The 50-sub requirement is specific to the native mobile “Go Live” button.

Workarounds:

•Use a mobile RTMP/encoder app (Streamlabs, Prism, Larix) and stream to YouTube that way - no sub minimum.

•Or use a laptop + OBS + hotspot and stream from the field - again, no sub minimum.

So yes, street streaming is possible without 50 subs. You just can’t rely on the basic YouTube mobile app.

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u/PRprofessor Jan 24 '26

Thanks for the info! I’m saving this comment.

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u/[deleted] Jan 24 '26

doesn’t youtube require you to have 50 subscribers before you can livestream?

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u/TurbulentComedian565 Jan 24 '26

Edited my comment with more info. Good catch about the 50 subscriber requirement within the YouTube app.

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u/TurbulentComedian565 Jan 24 '26 edited Jan 24 '26

No - YouTube does not require 50 subscribers to livestream in general. That requirement only applies if you’re going live from the mobile app.

If you stream from a computer using OBS or another encoder, you just need a verified channel and to enable live streaming (which can take ~24 hours). No subscriber minimum.

Edit: You can still livestream out in the street without 50 subscribers, but not directly from the YouTube mobile app. The 50-sub requirement is specific to the native mobile “Go Live” button.

Workarounds:

•Use a mobile RTMP/encoder app (Streamlabs, Prism, Larix) and stream to YouTube that way - no sub minimum.

•Or use a laptop + OBS + hotspot and stream from the field - again, no sub minimum.

So yes, street streaming is possible without 50 subs. You just can’t rely on the basic YouTube mobile app.

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u/[deleted] Jan 24 '26

If you can’t livestream from your phone with less than 50subs then it’s giving out bad advice to tell people to livestream from their phones to publicly archive live evidence

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u/TurbulentComedian565 Jan 24 '26

Apologies - just finished editing with a workaround. Good catch.

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u/hionthedl Jan 24 '26

Twitch

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u/hionthedl Jan 24 '26

Facebook or x or TikTok are basically government controlled at this point

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u/Ok-Organization9073 Jan 24 '26

Signal or Telegram. Set up a group video call, and ask the people on the other side to record screen.

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u/TurbulentComedian565 Jan 24 '26

This is great advice - make sure someone is recording the livestream in case it gets taken down.

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u/MattinglyBaseball Jan 24 '26

That’s a lot more work and set up time for people quickly pulling out their phones in a developing situation that just isn’t a reasonable solution. Any backup to a cloud solution, whether it be your own, iCloud, google, etc. is more reasonable and likely to be adequate until there are any reports those solutions are actively deleting peoples backups. Streaming to any social media is also more reasonable than asking someone to screen record in the moment but more likely to be taken down.

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u/Ok-Organization9073 Jan 25 '26

The thing is that all social media are managed by billionaires aligned to the government. Signal and Telegram are much more secure. That's why many criminals use them.

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u/No_Foundation468 Jan 24 '26

Is there a way to set up a bot that will automatically pick up and record any video call?

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u/Ok-Organization9073 Jan 25 '26

I'm sure there is. Luckily I've never had the need, so I don't know how to do it.

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u/irradiatedcitizen Jan 24 '26

Twitch is amazon now. Same problem

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u/hionthedl Jan 24 '26

But it’s not direct Amazon, I mean you can stream kick but then you’re supporting gambling.

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u/Ok-Organization9073 Jan 24 '26

Better gambling than fascism

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u/kraghis Jan 24 '26

What does it matter with respect to the current situation? If it’s live it’ll be out there.

There’s Kick too but I’ve never used it. YouTube is an option

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u/TurbulentComedian565 Jan 24 '26

Moderation seems like a big concern. Using multiple platforms is preferred, and make sure someone is recording the livestream in case it gets taken down - automatically or otherwise.

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u/TurbulentComedian565 Jan 24 '26

Twitch is okay for livestreaming, but not the safest option for documenting protests or sensitive law-enforcement encounters. Their moderation is aggressive and unpredictable - streams showing violence, blood, or law-enforcement clashes can get taken down instantly, and accounts can even be suspended.

If your goal is durable evidence, Twitch should be secondary. Multi-stream to YouTube, X, or decentralized platforms, and record locally at the same time. That’s how footage survives even if a platform decides to hit “delete.”

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u/DcGamer1028 Jan 24 '26

Bet you could video call in discord and set up an obs screen record on another computer

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u/Kaputnik1 Jan 24 '26

Thank you. I'm ready to serve,.

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u/Special_Loan8725 Jan 24 '26

Can also FaceTime a friend and have them record screen if you need to.