2016 Was The Year Your Mom Finally Got Snapchat

Every successful social network reaches that pivotal moment when your Mom joins. Sometimes moms hear about a social platform on a 60 Minutes segment a week before the app itself is shut down, sometimes they absorb knowledge of its existence through the Today show, but once a network becomes broad enough, eventually everyone gets that text: “Honey! I’m finally on [insert app here!] how do I add you?”

The app in question will often be sandwiched between the default Apple applications that any coherent iPhone user would relegate to a junk folder. Your mother will either check the app incessantly or use it once and never figure out how to access it again.

Snapchat, for its part, is ready for the moms.

According to ratings company ComScore, Snapchat is witnessing rapid growth in regard to its user base of over-35-year-olds. In 2016, the company incorporated enough branded content and mom-bait in its Discover section to remain interesting to those who only follow their three children and check the app once every day or two.

“Scientists lose it over this shy little octopus!” declares one channel, “How to make the perfect holiday mug cake” offers another. Many moms live for the Food Network Discover channel and its “definitive ranking of hot cocoa mixes.”

If you have a particularly savvy mom she may send you direct snaps of life at home or with the dogs. Some, like my mom, really “get a kick” out of the app’s signature range of lenses.

The important thing is not to fear the moms. They embrace these new apps because just want to be a part of your life. Let your mom follow you, teach her how to swipe through amusing geofilters, introduce her to the glorious skin-smoothing power of the dog face. You can always post your weirdest shit on Musical.ly.

(FYI this post is from 2016 but the website it was published on is sadly no more. I wanted to link to it so I had to re-upload it here).