Today, the hashtag turns 10. I’m just going to give you a second to wrap your mind around that.
It’s hard to say if it’s more surprising that the hashtag is still around, or that it’s still so misunderstood.
In that past ten years, the humble hashtag has come a long way. For better or worse, they’ve become a part of our language. Frankly, I’m inclined to think it’s for the better.
The hashtag has changed the way we communicate. Even if you don’t know a tweet from a snap, you’ve had to encounter hashtags at some point in the past decade.
To those who roll your eyes and declare the hashtag one of the signs of the downfall of society, I would argue that they have done more good than harm. Much like Twitter, their original platform.
They allow people to quickly sift through a sea of thoughts and news. They identify what people are talking about and care about. They connect people with shared interests. For the sharers, they allow you to focus on the heart of your message, and to direct its course. They clearly mark your message’s meaning, and set the tone.
Like any communication, it’s not perfect. It can look a bit cumbersome, and sometimes it can overwhelm the message. But for better or worse, this simple symbol has changed our language. And, once again, I’m inclined to think it’s made us better. #Optimism
More on the Story: CNET
…just for fun:
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