The Origin of the Hashtag

The podcast episode explores the origin of the hashtag symbol, starting with its use on Twitter in 2007. Chris Messina, the inventor of the hashtag, initially used it as a way to categorize tweets and organize conversations around a specific topic or event. Despite early skepticism, the hashtag gained popularity, especially during the San Diego wildfires, when it proved to be an effective tool for tracking and participating in discussions. The hashtag has since become widely used on social media platforms and has extended beyond its digital realm to even being spoken out loud in conversations. It represents a shift in language to accommodate computers and remains an influential symbol in the modern communication landscape.