Entry #7 The Power of Hashtags

 If you have been on social media for a while then you have probably noticed the use of hashtags (#). You may see them under a variety of posts to either boost the engagement on the post or to make a sort of call to action on that post. Hashtags are used on social media to do many different things. The hashtag is a versatile tool on social media to have your post fall under a certain search term or phrase. Hashtags have many uses that are very well outlined this article by Val Razo. 

Hashtags have been used in some of the biggest ways that have helped to propel very important movements on social media and throughout the United States. Some of the most popular hashtags that I can think of include #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #IceBucketChallenge. All of these movements are so different from one another but they all call for a change to occur or for people to be aware of something important. Like the Ice Bucket Challenge was a major hashtag in 2014 that called for people to be aware of what amyotrophic lateral scoliosis (ALS) is as well as to raise donations for ALS research. This one hashtag and movement was able to raise over $20 million dollars for ALS research. 

Similarly the #MeToo movement was a major movement that was spread by the use of hashtags. The Me Too movement called out sexual harassment and sexual abuse. The Me Too movement allowed for people to open up about their own experiences with sexual harassment and sexual abuse. The Me Too movement allowed for some major change to occur in how we see sexual harassment and how to prevent further sexual harassment and abuse. 

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Hashtags are a very important tool that anyone on the internet can use to call for some sort of attention or action. They show off the power that social media has and the power that anyone can have. As in the case for the Me Too movement or the Ice Bucket Challenge, a hashtag has a lot of power if many people can get behind the movement.