Instagram has introduced a special Easter egg in honor of the 2024 Paris Olympics, adding a unique twist to its Notes feature. The Meta-owned platform now turns Notes gold when users mention Olympic-related words or emojis, celebrating the global sporting event as it nears its conclusion.

What’s New?

• Golden Notes: Words and emojis related to the Olympics—like “Gold,” “Olympics,” “Medal,” “Torch,” and 🥇—will automatically change the color of Notes to gold, adding a festive touch to the platform.
• Expanded Notes Feature: Originally, Notes were visible at the top of the inbox or on a profile picture. However, in a recent update rolled out in July, users can now leave Notes directly on Reels or feed posts, allowing for real-time interactions and reactions.

List of Trigger Words and Emojis

Here are some of the words and emojis that will turn Instagram Notes gold:

• Words: Gold, Olympics, Olympic, Olympiad, Olympian, Medal, Podium, GOAT, Champion, Champs, Victory, Closing ceremony, Torch, World Record, Summer Games, 2024 games, 2028 games.
• Emojis: 🥇, 🏅, 🐐.

Meta’s Olympic Celebration

As Instagram celebrates the Paris 2024 Olympics, this feature is just one of the ways Meta, which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp, is engaging users around the world. The gold-themed Easter egg offers a fun and interactive way for Instagram users to join in the Olympic spirit.

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) has announced the suspension of its Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) initiative, just two days after Elon Musk’s social media company, X (formerly Twitter), filed an antitrust lawsuit against the organization. The lawsuit alleges that the WFA and its members engaged in illegal activities that led to an advertising boycott, harming X’s financial health.

Background

• GARM’s Purpose: Launched in 2019, GARM was created to help advertisers avoid having their promotions appear alongside harmful content. The initiative aimed to uphold brand safety across digital platforms.
• Musk’s Acquisition of Twitter: Following Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022, many advertisers paused their campaigns, citing concerns about increased hate speech and problematic content on the platform.

The Lawsuit

• Allegations: X’s lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Texas, accuses the WFA of organizing an illegal ad boycott, which it claims has had a detrimental impact on the company’s finances. The lawsuit also references previous claims made by the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, which argued that GARM’s activities were potentially illegal under antitrust laws.
• Response: In response to the lawsuit, X CEO Linda Yaccarino expressed hope that the suspension of GARM signals the beginning of broader reform in the advertising industry.

Industry Reactions

• Criticism of X’s Legal Actions: Ruben Schreurs, chief strategy officer at media marketing group Ebiquity, criticized the lawsuit, describing it as “weaponized litigation” intended to stifle organizations that strive to make the web safer, especially for children. Schreurs suggested that the legal actions are more political than factual and predicted that the lawsuit against WFA is likely to be dismissed.

Broader Implications

• Political Tensions: The suspension of GARM and the lawsuit against the WFA highlight the increasing political tensions surrounding content moderation and advertising practices. The situation also underscores the challenges faced by brands as they navigate the complex landscape of digital advertising, where they must balance business interests with social responsibility.

Cisco Systems will implement a second round of layoffs this year, affecting thousands of employees as the company shifts its focus to growth areas like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI).

Key Details

• Layoffs Overview: The upcoming job cuts could match or exceed the 4,000 employees Cisco laid off in February. The announcement is expected alongside the company’s fourth-quarter results, which are set to be released on Wednesday.
• Employee Numbers: As of July 2023, Cisco employed approximately 84,900 people. This figure does not include the February layoffs.

Financial Impact

• Stock Reaction: Following the news of the layoffs, Cisco’s shares fell nearly 1%. The stock has decreased by over 9% this year as of Thursday’s close.