# Understanding visibility options for instant live sessions

https://help.circle.so/p/live-and-events/live-setup/understanding-visibility-options-for-instant-live-sessions

Category: [Live and events](https://help.circle.so/p/live-and-events) › [Live setup](https://help.circle.so/p/live-and-events/live-setup)

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_Last updated: January 10, 2024_

Circle provides you with the flexibility to choose from the following visibility options for instant live stream and room sessions:

- Community

- Private

- Public (for live streams)

## **Community**

When you choose to go live with visibility set to **Community** , all members of your community can join the live session.

When you start a live stream or room, the following will take place:

- All members of the community will receive an in-app and mobile app push notification.

- A live banner will be displayed in the left sidebar for all community members.

Here are some ideas for using the **Community** visibility setting:

- **Community sessions:** Host community-wide live for all members, such as networking sessions, to bring all members together and encourage engagement.

- **Community updates:** Host a community-wide live stream session to keep your members informed about the latest community developments, share milestones, or celebrate achievements.

- **AMA sessions** : Host weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly live rooms with ask me anything sessions in your community to answer members’ questions and share insights.

- **Launch courses/memberships:** Organize a live stream session to launch new courses or memberships in your community.

## **Private**

If you want to go live exclusively for a specific group of members in your community, choose the **Private** visibility setting for a live stream or live room and add members you would like to go live to in the **Invite members** step of your live setup.

With **_Private_** visibility, you can go live to:

- Select members of your community.

- Specific space or space group members.

- Members with particular member tags.

📚 To learn about how to add members when initiating a private stream or room, please see the **Invite members** step in the following articles:

- [**Host a live room in your community**](/p/live-and-events/live-setup/host-a-live-room-in-your-community)

- [**Host a live stream in your community**](/p/live-and-events/live-setup/host-a-live-stream-in-your-community)

When you start a live stream or room, the following will take place:

- Only members you added to the **Invite members** step while setting up the live stream or room will receive an in-app and mobile app push notification about the live session.

- A live banner will only be displayed for members you added while setting up the live stream or room.

> ❗ **Important:** To limit link sharing, we recommend turning on the **Disable live link sharing** option when setting up the private live session. This ensures that only individuals who have been invited to the live session can access the session while restricting access for uninvited members, even if someone shares the live URL with them, by copying it from the browser's address bar.  
>   
> However, if you have turned off the **Disable live link sharing** option, you and your live attendees can share a private stream or room URL with any member not included in your invited members (attendees) list to have them join the live session. 

Here are some ideas for using the **Private** visibility setting:

- **Q&A sessions:** Host a private live room with a subject matter expert member in your community to answer questions and provide valuable insights to members of a specific space with particular interests.

- **Focus groups:** Hold private discussions using the live room for a specific group of members based on their member tags.

- **VIP streams:** Organize private live streams for: 

- **Community tours:** Host a private community tour using a live stream or room for members who recently joined your community.

## **Public (stream only)**

If you want to go live to visitors (non-members) as well as all members of your community, choose the **Public** visibility setting for your live stream.

This is an excellent option to reach a wider audience, showcase your community's activity and content, and attract paid memberships for your community!  
  
📚 For more information about public live streams, see [**Get to know public live streams**](/p/live-and-events/live-setup/get-to-know-public-live-streams)[**.**](/p/live-and-events/live-setup/get-to-know-public-live-streams)

## **Relevant articles**

- [**Host a live room in your community**](/p/live-and-events/live-setup/host-a-live-room-in-your-community)

- [**Host a live stream in your community**](/p/live-and-events/live-setup/host-a-live-stream-in-your-community)

- [**Host a public live stream in your community**](/p/live-and-events/live-setup/host-a-public-live-stream-in-your-community)