Have you ever been scrolling on your Twitter account and found a post containing the phrase #BlackLivesMatter, #MeTo, or #IceBucketChallenge? Maybe you have created a post that contained the hashtag #SummerPictures or #ThrowbackThursday. The hashtag has become extremely popular in social media, and it has taken the world by storm. Whether we appreciate the hashtag and its use or not, we cannot deny that it can impact society, transform our government, and change the world.
The reign of the hashtag began clear back in 2007, when Chris Messina made a simple proposal on Twitter (Wikipedia). He suggested that the pound sign be used to categorize messages (Wikipedia). That summer, a San Diego resident named Nate Riddener followed Messina's example and created a post that contained the the hashtag #SanDiegoFire in an effort to raise awareness of the one billion dollars worth of damage caused by wildfires that year (Bernadette N. Lim). Lim tells us that, "in July 2009, use of hashtags on Twitter became hyperlinked and categorized, accented by the "Trending Topics" that lists the most popular hashtags on one's homepage." The hashtag continued gaining popularity, and other social media sights such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube joined the hashtag train. Now, the hashtag is used around the world in order to promote personal interests and spread awareness of issues in society.
Hashtags have become very powerful in our society, and if we use them correctly we can create positive change. The hashtag allows people with similar likes and goals to connect with each other, and when people are connected they tend to carry a lot more power with them. This idea of the power of teamwork has lasted for an extremely long time.
Helen Keller once said, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." "Together we're individual pieces, but when we're together, we really are a force and not just any force. The strongest one,"
Melyssa Winchester once wrote. This idea has been proved again and again throughout history. Think about the American Revolution, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Women's Suffrage Movement. Each of these infamous moments in history successfully created change because people worked
together. Hashtags have opened a new door to us through which we can easily connect with others, and they provide us with the opportunity to inform others about an issue with one click of a button.
As the hashtag has gained popularity, so has its influence on society. You likely remember the Black Lives Matter Movement that peaked in June of 2020. What you may not know is that the movement actually began with a simple hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter. It was created by a woman named
Alicia Garza in response to the acquittal of George Michael Zimmerman, a man who had shot a 17 year old African American high school student in 2012. This hashtag continued to be posted all over the internet, and finally, on June 6, 2020, half a million people took part in protests all over the United States (
Val Razo). Val Razo, a social media consultant, tells us that, "according to the New York Times, #BlackLivesMatter is predicted to be the
largest movement in U.S. history." The largest movement in U.S. history began with a simple hashtag that a woman posted on her Facebook account. With that simple hashtag people all over the U.S. were able to connect with each other, spread the news, and change the way our society thinks. Clearly, the hashtag holds a lot of power, but as Peter Parker's Uncle Ben once said, "With great power comes great responsibility."
Honestly, I think that while the hashtag has the ability to do great good in the world, it also has the ability to cause harm. Literally anyone can create a hashtag for whatever purpose they desire, and without restriction I fear that ideas, personal preferences, and movements can be spread that have the potential to hurt others.
Dr. Joanna Rozpedowski says:
[The hashtag] can multiply damning accusations and sink reputations without guaranteeing the accused constitutional protections and the due process of law. Indeed, arguably nowhere is a person more vulnerable to maltreatment, insult, vilification, and slander and nowhere is he or she more prone to a trial by public opinion than on the internet.
Hashtags can spread accusations and foul opinions about other people like wildfire, and once something is on the internet, there is no going back. It is there permanently; it cannot be removed. We need to be extremely cautious when using hashtags. We need to ensure that whatever we are sharing on the internet will positively impact the world and the lives of those who live in it. We need to ensure that we are not hurting others just because we can.
Whether for bad or for good, there is no denying the fact that the hashtag contains an incredible amount of power. What is so amazing about this is that the hashtag is merely a single pound sign that you click on your keyboard. There is nothing magnificent about what it looks like; nothing outstanding about how it is implanted on social media. In fact, in reality, the hashtag doesn't create change at all. WE DO. The hashtag is a reminder for us that even when we feel small in this big world, we can change it. We can have an influence on those around us, and we can innovate new ways of seeing things. The Bible actually speaks on this subject. In Mark 4:30-32, Jesus says:
With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.
This verse is telling us that even the smallest decision, action, and words can cause the kingdom of God to grow. We can do the same when it comes to political, social or professional change. No matter how small we feel, we can always influence the world. We just have to be brave enough to stand up. So learn from the hashtag symbol. Use it to create positive change. And never give up.
I like the comment of "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much" made by Hellen Keller. I agree with you so much that hashtags can really bring people together. What I like most about them is that they can raise awareness and it is almost enlightening when we see our peers use a hashtag that has a positive effect. I do remember when #BlackLivesMatter really broke out. I know that this had been a problem for centuries but, the use of a hashtag especially on social media did bring much more awareness to the topic. Your blog is VERY well put together by the way! You are a talented writer and an over achiever. Great Job.
ReplyDeleteI like how you did this blog its good and I like how you went into details and I enjoyed reading this blog especially how you use some examples
ReplyDeleteJonathan Navarro
I agree that hashtags are a very useful tool to bring people together! I do not often consider it's darker uses but I do think there a certain waves to curve hashtags that may be hateful or cause harm to others. In many situations like that, it may be as simple as combatting tag with a different hashtag that spreads more accurate information. - Elizabeth Arenas
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