The Obama phone meme grew out of a viral interview clip shared during the 2012 United States presidential election, in which a woman enthusiastically talked about receiving a free mobile phone through a government assistance programme. The clip spread quickly on YouTube and in political commentary, where the phrase Obama phone became shorthand for the Lifeline programme and for debates about government benefits. Years later, creators still reuse the audio detached from its original politics, mainly as a funny reaction to anything presented as free.