Monday marked a fateful day in the history of Snapchat. The White House officially joined the social media app as WhiteHouse. The American flag emoji has finally found its calling. Upon opening the first snap story, you will see a basket of apples. Nothing out of the ordinary, right? Well, then the view zooms out to reveal an up-close-and-personal view of the Oval Office.
The short video reveals an important fact that we all forget — something that's perhaps more interesting than the office itself. People working in the White House have shaky hands, too. As the president's desk creeps into view, the camera shakes, and as strange as this may sound, it's comforting. The White House's new Snapchat account is a reminder that the president and his staff are people too. Like us, they use their iPhones and keep their eyes peeled for opportune moments in which to sneak in a quick snap. Everyone is human — even the president. And by creating a Snapchat account, the White House staff has made their place of work more accessible to the American public.
Still, great responsibility comes with owning a Snapchat account. The White House's snaps must be entertaining. So what's next? The new account was created right in time for President Obama's last State of the Union address, which is scheduled for 9 pm (ET) Tuesday. Fingers crossed that we get to witness some backstage moments.
The White House released a statement at 9:45 a.m. Monday on its decision to join Snapchat. It explained that the account reflects its "digital strategy" of providing a diverse array of avenues through which citizens can interact with the government. It also promises to take us "behind the scenes" during preparation for the State of the Union. During the speech, the President plans on outlining his achievements over the past eight years in office.
The account is a part an initiative to expand the White House's social media presence (recall the creation of @POTUS and Obama's Facebook account). This prompts a vital question: Is Obama running the White House's Snapchat account? After all, who else would be hanging out in the Oval Office, just waving "hello" to the world? Unfortunately, no one knows the answer to that one yet.
