Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Snapchat introduce new features to track live event updates

• Facebook and its suite of apps have introduced tools for the 2020 Olympics.
• Instagram has AR effects for the Olympics, and Snapchat has daily shows for the latest updates.
• WhatsApp has its first Olympics chatbot so users can get all the latest news and updates.

The 2020 Olympic Games are currently underway in Tokyo, Japan. It’s a different experience this time due to the pandemic with audience seats empty, and celebrations taking place virtually. To make the most out of the 2020 Olympics, popular social networking platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat have introduced new tools that people can use to have an interactive experience. WhatsApp has also launched an Olympics-focused feature so users can stay updated on the latest news and results.

Facebook

Facebook has a dedicated Tokyo 2020 Olympics hub that features highlights from official Olympic broadcast partners, team and athlete overviews. It will also showcase explainers of competitions that are new to the Olympic Games. Facebook will also feature Olympic related posts from friends on this hub. The Facebook Olympics hub can be accessed through this link, or through the hashtags #Olympics and #Tokyo2020.

Instagram

On Instagram, Facebook has introduced AR effects for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. There’s one AR effect that lets fans attempt to mirror the movements of Miraitowa, the official Olympics mascot. Based on the performances, users can earn AR medals through this filter. The other AR effect features the official beat music of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. These AR effects are available on the official Olympics Instagram and Tokyo 2020 Instagram accounts. The official Instagram account will also showcase behind the scenes with eleven Olympians on Reels.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp has a dedicated Olympics chatbot built on the WhatsApp Business API. WhatsApp users can connect with the chatbot to get the latest news on the Olympic Games. This includes information like the schedule, medal standings, highlights, and local broadcasts. The WhatsApp Olympics chatbot also has official stickers that can be collected by taking part in a quiz via the chatbot.

Snapchat

Snapchat can get the latest updates from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC has a daily “Olympics Highlights” show in India which features the key moments of the Olympic Games. There’s another show called “Best of Olympics” which covers the top athletes and stories of the past editions of the Olympics. These shows can be found in the Discover section of the Snapchat app. Snapchat has also launched a ‘Train like an Olympian’ AR lens featuring a set of three exercises that users have to complete before time runs out.

SEE ALSO:

Mary Kom enters Olympic pre-quarters, outwits spirited Garcia from Dominica
Tokyo Olympics: PV Sindhu wins opening match against Ksenia Polikarpova