Snapchat is targeting first-time voters with a handful of new tools aimed at helping young people register and plan for the November presidential election.
The social network, as reported by Axios, plans to reach Millennial and Gen Z users through four fresh features, including its lightweight Minis apps, launched in June as a one-stop shop for booking event tickets, learning a new language, performing calming breathing exercises, and more.
In 2016, more than 400,000 folks (most of whom were 18 to 24 years old) registered to vote via Snapchat—an achievement the company hopes to repeat this year. The new Voter Registration Mini makes it easy to enroll without leaving the app (and allows Snapchat to once again monitor how many users sign up).
Once you’re in the system, take some time to browse Snapchat’s Voter Guide and “Before You Vote” Mini, both of which are designed to educate users on voting options (in-person, by-mail, etc.) and how to fill out your ballot. The cherry on top of Snapchat’s election sundae: a voter portal that lives in your user profile and serves as a handy checklist.
Still have a question? Search by keyword to find more resources from organizations like the NAACP, ACLU, BallotReady, DemocracyWorks, APIA Vote, I Am a Voter, Vote Early Day, and National Voter Registration Day. These tools—announced on Thursday’s 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act—will roll out in September, according to Axios, which also tipped new Discovery content coming soon. Snapchat did not immediately respond to PCMag’s request for comment.
Rival TikTok is taking a different approach to the 2020 election: The China-based firm this week announced three new measures to combat fake news during the presidential race. Though not exactly the go-to platform for news and politics, the site plans to fight disinformation via updated policies, additional fact-checking, and through an alliance with the US government.
