How to obtain the live video id of a facebook live video?

Question

I am trying to access the live views count of a live video that is live through a Facebook Page. I am using the ID that I am obtaining from the API request {page-id}/videos/uploaded When I am using that video id and making a GET request of {video-id}?fields='live_views its showing error code of 100 with the message as:

(#100) Tried accessing nonexisting field (live_views) on node type (Video)

I have the following permissions:

'manage_pages', 'publish_pages', 'business_management', 'read_insights', 'user_videos'

I am making the GET request using user_access_token. I am using Graph API Version 2.8.

Please let me know if I am using the wrong ID. IF yes, then how can i get the live_video_id of a live video posted in page?

Answer 1

Yes you do need to go through an app review to get the permission for tracking streams

Answer 2

To get the live views count of a video a fan page, you need:

• An app created at facebook developer
• A user access token (for testing, e.g. by calling https://developers.facebook.com/tools/accesstoken/)
• The fan page id

With this you can call graph API in the following format: https://graph.facebook.com/v2.8/<fan_page_id>/live_videos?access_token=<access_token>?fields=live_views

Of course, you may add more elements in fields parameter if you need more information. Here Facebook's Graph API explorer helps: https://developers.facebook.com/tools/explorer

When you add status to fields parameter, "LIVE" means, it's currently live, "VOD" means it has already finished.

If you try to implement a WebHook for it, let me now if it works. Thanks.

Answer 3

To get live views you need to call the api with the live video id, which you get from calling, page id can initially be either the page-id or name

"https://graph.facebook.com/v10.0/${page_id}/live_videos?access_token=${access_token}
Sample response:
    {
  "title": "hello world 2",
  "status": "LIVE",
  "embed_html": "...,
  "id": "123123" // this is the live video id
},

After you have retrieved the live video id you can call this endpoint to get the live_views edge

https://graph.facebook.com/v10.0/${live_id}fields=live_views&access_token=${access_token}
sample response:
{
 "live_views": 1,
 "id": "123123"
}

Docs for endpoint 1: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/reference/live-video/

Docs for endpoint 2: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/reference/live-video/reactions#Reading

However I understand the confusion since live_views is not listed under the second endpoint as a reaction nor even is it a reaction, so either it a mistake in facebook docs or a mistake in the graph API, either the solution provided works.