It’s 2016, and nothing says “get out the vote” like a Snapchat filter. Or that’s what Bernie Sanders is thinking. Or at least that’s what his social-media intern is thinking.
The Democratic presidential candidate has his own Snapchat geofilter today, in honor of New York’s Democratic primary. It reads “VOTE BERNIE TODAY” and features a tiny, animated Sanders grinning toothily and standing shoulder to shoulder with Lady Liberty. (“Geofilters” are overlays and filters you can place on Snapchats only in a specific geographical area.)
But not everybody is feeling the … you know.
Let’s be direct here. This isn’t a Snapchat issue. Anybody can purchase a sponsored filter. That means Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Ralph Nader, Dan Smith, Dr. Zizmor, and the guy who walks around with his cat on his head. Anybody. Bernie Sanders has a Snapchat filter because Bernie Sanders paid for a Snapchat filter. (Bernie, not the billionaires, as the filter makes very clear.) Hillary has only herself to blame.
It’s not as crazy (or stupid) as it sounds: Snapchat’s VP of content Nick Bell recently said that two-thirds of Snapchatters are over 18, Tech Insider reports. Combine that with Snapchat’s 100 million daily users, divide by the number of users currently living in New York, and then divide again by the number who are registered Democrats, and Sanders is definitely looking at, at least, a dozen eligible voters.
