Hashtag

Hashtags are a #word or #PhaseWithoutSpaces prefixed with a hash symnbol (also known as a number or pound sign), used to tag messages, images and videos. This internet phenomenon was popularized on Twitter, a microblogging service, and later spread to Facebook and other social media networks.

Trending

Emerging trends may be identified by monitoring the usage of hashtags, when one becomes popular enough, it is known as trending. Justine Sacco was a public relations executive who made a racist tweet in late 2013 just before she left for Africa, news of her remark spread and within hours #HasJustineLandedYet was trending worldwide. She was unemployed before the plane landed 12 hours later. Oops.

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Moar info: Justine Sacco.

Fails

Some of the most infamous hashtags came from Twitter accounts managed by people who's minds are not in the gutter. The problem with that is the internet is swarming with warped minds, and they are quick to spot alternative meanings to acronyms and unintended phrases because someone failed to capitalize certain letters. Given the nature of microblogs and social media, word travels at a ruthlessly fast pace, here are a handful of funny examples: #nowthatchersdead, #WTFF, #hobbitch, #CLitFest, #rimjobs and #susanalbumparty.

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Bashtags

When it comes to social media, businesses often behave like lemmings, following the latest trend without really knowing why. As Facebook's popularity soared, companies spent money on various gimmicks to get people to follow and like their pages on the social network. Now history repeats itself with Twitter, attempts are made to get people use their hashtags, but unlike Facebook, hashtags can easily be hijacked by angry consumers, resulting in bashtags.

Deep within the bowels of McDonald's marketing department, an executive decided to encourage people to share their #McDStories, thinking that nobody would have anything bad to say about the fast food chain. A search for all tweets with this hashtag indicates quite the opposite, stories and images that McDonalds doesn't want consumers to see. No amount of public relations can undo the association #McDStories has with stereotypical obese American children gorging themselves at McDonald's, a clear indication food there may not be so healthy after all.

Many businesses invest large sums of money into maintaining a pristine image online, and someone tweeting about crappy customer support can cause a lot of damage. Often the person who's venting on Twitter is contacted because the company doesn't want to be seen as ignoring their customers. This creates an awkward situation for businesses that do something unpopular such as raising their prices, no longer can the angry voices of discontent be swept under the rug, meaning that consumers are able to have their voices heard for a change.

Hashtag Jamerson

Hashtag Jamerson is the name of a baby girl who's parents spend too much time on the internet. Either that or they hate their child so much that an abortion wasn't good enough. Until their child is old enough to go for a new high score, expect that her parents will continue profiting from the publicity as they continue neglecting their child, leaving her alone in a crib while they play Farmville.

Anonymous pranks

Anything that becomes popular on the internet will eventually be exploited by trolls and hashtags are no exception to the rule. Successful pranks are often reposted by thousands of unsuspecting users, reported by the media that is gullible and fails to do its homework, and sometimes these creative antics will invoke a response from a well-known celebrity. This is possible due to the viral nature of microblogs and social media, where misinformation travels at the speed of a mouse click.

When Justin Bieber got caught smoking a joint, nobody was surprised, but that didn't stop trolls from pretending to be outraged, posting fake pictures of them cutting themselves in protest. Enough people believed #Cut4Bieber that Justin even got onto Twitter, begging fans not to harm themselves and stating that his lawyers were looking into the incident.

Another prank, #INeedMasculismBecause also originated from /b/, it intended to spark controversy by advocating for men's rights. For a while his backfired when feminists caught wind of the hashtag and hijacked it, resulting in an online tug of war until the dust settled, leaving the trolls to reclaim the hashtag that is mostly dormant now.

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Moar info: #Cut4Bieber.

YouTube

Hashtag with Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake

DadQuotes

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Gallery

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See also

• Justine Sacco
• #Cut4Bieber

External links

Hashtag
#HasJustineLandedYet

• Fails
  • How Not To Twitter: 7 Hashtag Fails To Learn From
  • 5 Unbelievable Hashtag Fails
• Anonymous pranks
  • 4chan launches social media campaign in support of the 'bikini bridge'
  • The "bikini bridge," 4chan’s latest prank, is actually pretty dangerous
  • How Twitter turned a hashtag prank into a feminist victory
  • #FollowAnAdult
  • Does Miley Cyrus Have HIV? 4chan Users Start Prank With Hashtag '#CureForMiley'
• Hashtag Jamerson
  • We called our baby Hashtag (or # for short)
  • 2012’s Most Outrageous Baby Names: And Yes, 'Hashtag' Made The Cut
  • Baby Hashtag: has the search for original names gone too far?
• 4 Ways Marketers Can Use Facebook Hashtags
• The Role of #Hashtags in Social Media and Search
• The Beginner's Guide to the Hashtag

Hashtag is part of a series on Social Media Visit the Social Media Portal for complete coverage.