Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Using memes on social media is a tale as old as 2010, at least. But when corporations finally catch on and start using the funny photos and pithy phrases in a negative way, it can become a problem.
The federal financial aid agency Free Application for Federal Student Aid tweeted a popular meme — a shot of Bridesmaids' Kristen Wiig with the quote "Help me. I'm poor"— and it didn't resonate with followers.
Its tweet said "If this is you, then you better fill out your FAFSA." It was taken down about an hour later, according to ABC.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the application for those students looking for financial aid from US colleges.
The agency's Twitter account posted an apology later that night that said "We apologize for the insensitivity of our previous tweet. Our goal is to make college a reality for all. We're very sorry."
"Dorie Nolt, press secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, apologized in a statement, calling the tweet an 'ill-conceived attempt at reaching students through social media,'" USA Today reported. "'We are reviewing our process for approving social media content to ensure it reflects the high standards we expect at the U.S. Department of Education.'"
Not everyone who follows the account was offended, and the responses to the apology were mixed.
@FAFSA Your marketing to young people using memes, which are popular among young people. I think you have little to nothing to apologize for — media teacher (@themediateacher) June 25, 2014
> [@FAFSA](https://twitter.com/FAFSA) thank you for some humor! [\#finallyajokefromthefederalgovernment](https://twitter.com/hashtag/finallyajokefromthefederalgovernment? > src=hash) [\#appliedforfasfa](https://twitter.com/hashtag/appliedforfasfa? > src=hash) [\#studentloans](https://twitter.com/hashtag/studentloans? > src=hash) > > — Jessica Aguirre (@jessicaaguirre) [Ju ne 25, 2014](https://twitter.com/jessicaaguirre/statuses/481662315805167617)
> [@FAFSA](https://twitter.com/FAFSA) how is that offensive tweet making fun of "poor people" helping make "college a reality for all"? > > — Jen (@koonsiderthis) [Ju ne 25, 2014](https://twitter.com/koonsiderthis/statuses/481662740637839360)
> .[@FAFSA](https://twitter.com/FAFSA) Being poor in America isn't a joke. It's not a punchline. It's not a meme. It's a painful reality for many people [\#AskFAFSA](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AskFAFSA?src=hash) > > — SHREK FLEX (@SHREK\_FLEX) [Jun e 25, 2014](https://twitter.com/SHREK_FLEX/statuses/481665385993732096)
