Entry #7 #theseareoutofcontrol

According to Tint, hashtags were created as a way to categorize tweets and tag tweets. A few years after that, they began to become more popular. Hashtags began to spread from Twitter to other social media platforms such as Facebook. People began using hashtags as a way to express themselves. Users would often write full phrases in hashtag form, such as #ilovemykidssomuch, or #wokeuplikethis. It began to become out of control.

I didn't join social media until about a decade after this became incredibly popular, so I was never a part of this first hand, nor did I ever really understand what was so “cool” about them. It is clear to see who did come from that time. From my personal time on social media, I have noticed that people around my parents age tend to use hashtags more. When used this way, they are a bit silly and unnecessary to me.

When used the way they were intended, they can be very useful and beneficial for content. My social media profiles are private and this doesn’t really pertain to me specifically, but I used to run my church’s social media. I really tried to utilize hashtags, especially when posting reels and videos, in order to reach more people.

To me, hashtags perfectly represent social media as a whole. They can be good when used correctly, but if overused and overdone, it becomes annoying and superficial. The same can be said for social media as a whole. Too much of a good thing is quite possible and happens quite often. We must used social media (and hashtags!) wisely.