HashTags

The use of the hashtags started about 7 years ago. Since its beginning the use of hashtags has become a pretty common thing. However, the hashtag has begun to go through an evolutionary stage from a simple grouping technique on Twitter to something much more. What has become the term "Hashtivism" is the process of turning a hashtag into a global statement. To some this new trend is a god send and the best new way of transmitting problems globally to raise awareness. However has it truly become that strong yet? Hashtivism has the potential to become a great form of protest and spread the word virally fast. I simply do not believe it is at that stage at this particular time. My reasoning behind this is due to there being both serious and beneficial movements to come out of this, yet also silly and half-witted one's that had good intentions but just went away with nothing accomplished. 

Hashtivism has gone passed the expectations of not only myself but probably that of the original poster. Hashtags have begun to finally have some affect in the outside world and bring something good to it. Tags such as #standwithPP, #JusticeforTrayvon, and #BringBackOurGirls have brought online communication to the real world and spread it virally and globally. These brought attention to a problem which could have been overlooked and in the dark if not for the joining of many over social media. Since Hashtivism has begun it has brought to light the Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman case, the cutting of Planned Parenthood funding by half-a-million dollars, and the kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls from Nigeria earlier this year. Clearly the power of the hashtag is going up in a pretty good way.

There have been cases however of hashtag protests going in a strange direction. A widely popular hashtag disaster #Kony2012 tried to get off the ground yet never truly seemed to do anything besides fill up pages on everyone’s feeds for the maybe two months it was relevant. The campaign aimed to raise awareness on Ugandan militia leader Joseph Kony but due to lack of information and the incompetence of its ringleader Jason Russell and his naked meltdown (that was the nail in the coffin for the most part) the campaign accomplished little. Another recent example of the misuse of Hashtivism is #CancelColbert. On March 27, the Asian American community stirred up Twitter with the #CancelColbert tweet campaign. This was targeted and the television show “The Colbert Report”, a satirical show on Comedy Central. The tweet was originally based on a joke made on air, however had a racial epithet and upset many people. Justified was the outrage, yet an unneeded protest against a television show occurred. This #CancelColbert Hashtivism attempt is what drags the entire movement process down. Television always has shows on the air with certain taboo topics. To make an uproar for one show would be hypocrisy to watch the others. Not to mention the process did absolutely nothing. Colbert went on to become the new host of “The Late Show” and no penalties were ever considered. To put the cherry on top, the account in question was a corporate account not actual run by Steven Colbert. It’s with examples like these that the Hashtivism process will take some time before it peaks and begins to provide serious change to the world. As of right now, it’s in a somewhat immature stage that provides good insight on problems, but not many solutions.