MANILA, Philippines – It’s time to say #HappyBirthday to the hashtag! The ubiquitous social media symbol was first invented on Twitter 10 years ago today in a tweet by former Google designer Chris Messina, who proposed using the symbol for groups. Who knew that the seemingly mundane tweet would begin what is now a constant presence in social media posts?
how do you feel about using # (pound) for groups. As in #barcamp [msg]?
— ⌗ChrisMessina (@chrismessina) August 23, 2007
Ten years down the line, the hashtag has since evolved from its early incarnation. These days, it has become a tool to make powerful statements, raise awareness, bring together movements, and aggregate important information.
According to Twitter, an average of 125 million hashtags are used daily – and that’s just on the one social media platform (hashtags are used on Facebook and Instagram as well).
Adding hashtags to posts has become a way for users to join conversations, connect with other people, and make their voices heard. Used wisely, the hashtag is also an easy way to add wit or commentary to a 140-character statement.
On August 23, Twitter has started a special hahstag – #Hashtag10 – which will activate a 24-hr custom emoji – because there’s no better way than an extra-special hashtag to celebrate the creation of this social media game-changer. – Rappler.com
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