Title: Production release – 2024/01/16
Author: WordPress VIP Documentation
Published: January 16, 2024
Last modified: August 5, 2025

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 1. [Changelog](https://docs.wpvip.com/changelog/)
 2. [VIP MU plugins [Production]](https://docs.wpvip.com/changelog/vip-mu-plugins-production/)
 3. Production release – 2024/01/16

# Production release – 2024/01/16

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 16 January 2024

17:09:38 GMT+0000

 [ VIP MU plugins [Production] ](https://docs.wpvip.com/changelog/vip-mu-plugins-production/)

 [ Permalink  ](https://docs.wpvip.com/changelog/vip-mu-plugins-production/production-release-2024-01-16/)

### Function Updated: wpcom_vip_term_exists

Deprecate `wpcom_vip_term_exists()` because WP 6.0 now has caching in `term_exists()`.
Please use core function instead.

[https://github.com/Automattic/vip-go-mu-plugins/pull/5100](https://github.com/Automattic/vip-go-mu-plugins/pull/5100)

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### Plugin Updated: Akismet

We upgraded Akismet 5.1 to 5.3

[https://github.com/Automattic/vip-go-mu-plugins/pull/5086](https://github.com/Automattic/vip-go-mu-plugins/pull/5086)

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### Plugin Updated: Enterprise Search

Fix PHP deprecation warning `json_encode(): Passing null to parameter #2` and fatal`
undefined method ElasticPress\IndexHelper::process_error_limit()`.

[https://github.com/Automattic/vip-go-mu-plugins/pull/5108](https://github.com/Automattic/vip-go-mu-plugins/pull/5108)

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Please see the [full release on GitHub](https://github.com/Automattic/vip-go-mu-plugins/releases/tag/v20240116.0).