Facebook, Instagram Team Up With IOC, Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, Official Broadcasters

The 2016 Summer Olympic Games are well underway, but Facebook and Instagram are still hard at work gaining access to more content.

The social network announced a collaboration with the International Olympic Committee, the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, more than 20 official broadcasters and the national Olympic committees of several countries, under which more videos and other interactive content will appear on Facebook and Instagram.

Highlights of the arrangement include:

• Official broadcasters of Rio 2016 will share highlights, Facebook Live videos and 360-degree videos on their pages.


• The IOC, Rio 2016 and several national Olympic committees are sharing interactive content celebrating the Games.


• As previously announced, Facebook users can add temporary profile picture frames representing every nation participating in Rio 2016, as well as customized MSQRD masks for several countries.


• Instagram will launch several personalized video channels, accessible via search and its Explore tab, featuring “the best moments happening in and around Rio.”


• The IOC will launch an official Olympics bot on Facebook Messenger, bringing users of the application the latest news about the Games.


• Digital-first platform The Olympic Channel will distribute content via Facebook and Instagram.


• The Rio 2016 Facebook page documented the relay of the Olympic Torch as it made its way to Rio de Janeiro.


• Facebook teamed up with Tagboard to create a single location for the best Facebook Live videos from the Games.

Facebook head of global sports partnerships Dan Reed said in a statement emailed to SocialTimes:

We're excited to be working with the IOC, Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, official broadcasters and the broader Olympic movement to deliver exciting highlights, exclusive live video around Rio and behind-the-scenes content from Rio to our global communities on Facebook and Instagram. By giving people the ability to engage and share their passion for the Games and their favorite teams, we will help connect our global communities with the Olympic Games and each other.

Readers: Have you been interacting on Facebook and Instagram during the Summer Olympics?