Snapchat has not taken root in Kenya, but the mobile video messaging application is big in other parts of the world, especially the US. By latest estimates, about 60% of American youths are active users.
On Snapchat a user takes a photo or records a video (snaps), and send them to a controlled list of recipients. Users set a time limit for how long recipients can view their Snaps (1 – 10 seconds), after which they disappear from the recipient’s device and are deleted from Snapchat’s servers.
The application has recently been adding new functionalities. Last year, it added the ‘Live’ section, which lets users attending a specific live event to submit pictures and videos through the app to a curated collection or Story.
This has expanded from events to covering cities. They are now picking cities to feature, and users from that city (determined by GPS) send videos or pictures which are seen by the whole of the world.
Snapchat is handpicking the cities, and you’ll be surprised how many of its loyal users are waiting for their city to be featured. Yesterday was Nairobi’s turn (one of the first in Africa).
Some Americans were not pleased after Snapchat team decided to feature Nairobi before their cities. Here are some of their tweets:
https://twitter.com/danielwendt4/status/603394296532836352
https://twitter.com/MichaelSean__/status/603272178348531712
https://twitter.com/AmaniTOSA/status/603381842193063936
Not everything was negative though.
Nairobi snapchat looks live , it makes me wanna visit there right now. ✈️
— WARYANEXTDOOR (@TheBlackAmigo_) May 26, 2015
Am I the only person who watches the "Greetings From" snapchat stories? I wouldn't mind going to Nairobi.
— Bizzy_Lee (@Bizznes_lee) May 26, 2015
