'Boaty McBoatface' Inspires Trend To Get Young People Voting

No prizes for guessing what it's called...

When #BoatyMcBoatface began trending, it propelled a little-known campaign to name the government's new research vessel across the globe.

But now the hashtag could prompt another trend - all to get young people registered to vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Supporting #voteyMcVoteface

A photo posted by Rosalind Shimmen Comms (@rshimmencomms) on

The idea is for young people to use the hashtag to upload selfies - showing their voting face to the world.

Jenny Griffiths, who is the founder of Snap Fashion, a new visual search engine for fashion, told The Huffington Post UK: "I was invited to Number 10 with other tech companies like Google, Facebook and Uber.

"The government pulled us together to ask how we could engage young people to vote in the EU referendum.

"My contribution is #VoteyMcVoteface.

"The aim is that people will share a ridiculously happy selfie with the hashtag to show they are happy to register to vote on Instagram and Twitter.

"It would be great to see this trend on social media and for the number of young people registered to vote."

Sharing the target of 500,000 young people registered to vote ahead of June 7, Griffiths will now work with as many partners as possible to create a viral trend.

"It would be great to see people go to town on it and I’m interested to see what people come up with," she said.

And it appears that Private Eye predicted such a campaign last month.

Register to vote online now before 7 June to vote in the EU referendum.

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