Snapchat campaign #Manamalive creates ripples globally

Manama

 Netizens in Bahrain have gone global thanks to a campaign by the social networking app Snapchat. The smartphone app Snapchat updated pictures and videos taken by Bahraini citizens and residents to its live streaming feed for users around the globe to watch. The campaign titled '#Manamalive' featured creative pictures and videos uploaded by Bahrain-based Snapchat users and was played on its feed throughout the day yesterday.

 To participate, users logged on to the application from a location within Manama and posted their pictures and videos with a hashtag '#ManamaLive'.

 However, numerous users made the mistake of spelling the hashtag as '#Manamalife', so did not feature in the feed.

 "The conditions for participation were clear. Firstly, you needed to be in Manama, the Snapchat GPS would verify if you were in Manama or not. Secondly, you needed to post the media along with the hashtag '#ManamaLive', since many spelled it 'ManamaLife' they did not feature. After the user uploads the media, Snapchat approves it or filters it based on the criteria they set. Anything offensive may be blocked," explained Social Media Club Board Member Sari Mashal. 

 "It was a fantastic platform created by Snapchat to allow small community like ours to express our ideas to the world. It was a good opportunity for us to show the world what Bahrain is really like,” he said. “It was an opportunity to show the peace and happiness in Bahrain. I have shared pictures of my family, friends and of the social media club members. For me it was an opportunity to show everyone the positive side of Bahrain.”

 "I was impressed with the uploads by the people in Bahrain. It was creative and cheerful. It has nothing negative in them and was only to invoke happy emotions. Most of the posts were by young people and it was very encouraging to watch," Mashal remarked.

 "We can take a cue from a similar Snapchat campaign in West bank in Palestine. It was great and inspiring. It showed the world how peaceful they are despite what happened in Palestine. In a different way, Bahrainis have shown the world that we are peaceful and happy. I hope this attracts the attention of users world wide," he opined.