The Internal Revenue Service is pivoting to millennial. On Friday afternoon, the agency announced the launch of its newest venture: an Instagram account aimed at reaching a younger demographic.
Its first—and so far only—post is a video featuring flamingos who are, for some reason, urging the IRS’s followers (more than 600!) to gear up for tax season. The photo’s caption reads: “The time to get ready for tax filing season is now. Join the flock of people preparing to be tax ready in 2019.”
“Research shows that more than 70 percent of U.S. young adults between 18 and 24 are active on Instagram,” explains the agency in a press release. “The IRS plans to use Instagram to better serve this segment of the population, sharing content on tax topics that affect all taxpayers.” It’s unclear how they plan on breaking through the noise of “tag yourself” memes and Kardashian red carpet looks, but that’s not going to stop them from sharing “taxpayer-friendly” content, such as questionably share-able information on how to avoid tax scamming.
The IRS’s Instagram will join its sizable digital footprint, which includes a YouTube channel, three Twitter accounts, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Other federal agencies that have Instagram accounts include the Department of Defense, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the State Department.
Brittany Shepherd covers the societal and cultural scene in political Washington. Before joining Washingtonian as a staff writer in 2018, Brittany was a White House Correspondent for Independent Journal Review. While she has lived in DC for a number of years now, she still yearns for the fresh Long Island bagels of home. Find her on Twitter, often prattling on about Frasier.
