The White House joined the popular messaging service turned social network on Monday, promising an inside look at preparations for President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address on Tuesday.
Joining Snapchat is the latest move in a larger social-media campaign by the Obama administration to connect with Americans who are increasingly checking social sites on a daily basis. In November, Obama launched a new Facebook page, and in May, he joined Twitter under the username @POTUS, where he garnered 1 million followers faster than anyone else on the service up to that point. The president reportedly has about 20 aides handling social media accounts.
Snapchat launched in 2011 as a smartphone app that lets users send photos and videos that self-destruct after a set time. It later added less fleeting features such as “Stories,” which hang around in a feed for 24 hours.
