Hashtag

Okay, so this post is going to be a bit of a rant I'm afraid. There are things that people are doing on the internet that is starting to get on my nerves because they aren't using them correctly. What I'm talking about, of course, is the hashtag.

The purpose of the hashtag is to "provide a means of grouping such messages, since one can search for the hashtag and get the set of messages that contain it." What this statement means is that the hashtag is supposed to be used a means of a link system, in which a person can click on the hashtag to find out more about that subject. It is also used a means of "tagging" people or groups.

For example, on Instagram I might use a hashtag to tag my sister because we always take pictures of each other, or for each other. Instagram will then notify her that she has been tagged, and she will then be given access to any photos that I have hashtagged her in.

These are the two most common ways that the hashtag is used across social networking sites. However, what many people are using them for is incorrect. They will post a status on Facebook, and then they will have a good four hashtags following it.

For example, "Enjoying my time on the beach here in California. #sun #cali #beach #lovingmytan." Why are all of the hashtags following this statement necessary? Any idiot would know that this person is obviously getting sun on the beach in California; thus getting a tan. This is not only overusing the hashtag, but most of the time it does not accurately represent a hashtag because nothing is being linked or grouped.

I know the importance of the hashtag and I think it does have significance in popular social media today, but it should also be used correctly. I feel that when people don't use it correctly, it is simply taking the lazy way out of things. As an English teacher, it truly drives me insane when people don't use correct grammar, spelling, and abbreviations. The one case in which it should be allowed is Twitter, in which users only have a certain amount of space to get their point across.

So, please, for the love of God, stop overusing and misusing the hashtag!