Have you seen the term $Cashtag popping up on Twitter and wondered what it meant?Well, it's going to be a huge game changer when it comes to funding the 2016 election via social media.
It's the term granted by Twitter to a new feature that allows people to make donations to political candidates directly through the app. According to Twitter, $Cashtag is now the fastest and easiest way to make a political donation on the web.
"When people have conversations about politics, they have them on Twitter. It's what voters learn and share in these conversations that routinely motivates political action. That's why we're making it easier for Twitter users to actively support candidates and causes," Twitter Head of Political Advertising Sales Jenna Golden wrote on the official Twitter blog.
Twitter is using Square for the new program. First candidates sign up for an account, which Square then verifies, so you can rest assured that your donations are actually getting to the right place. Then campaigns can tweet out their $Cashtag - a unique URL with a button that says contribute.
If you hit the button, you enter your donation amount, debit card info and FEC (Federal Election Commission) info, and that's it. You can share the $Cashtag with your followers, too.
It's up to you whether you feel motivated enough to support a politician's campaign, but regardless, get out there and exercise your right to vote!
