The story of the hashtag(#): A practical theological tracing of the hashtag(#) symbol on Twitter

Berg, Van den; Albert, Jan

doi:10.4102/hts.v70i1.2706

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 9 publications

(2 reference statements)

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“…Objectively speaking, hashtags can be defined as "sociotechnical networks" (Omena et al, 2020) that represent discourses, audiences, and communities, identifying conversations through marked messages (Recuero et al, 2015;van den Berg, 2014) and making them searchable (Scott, 2015). The first known use of hashtags on Twitter occurred in 2007.…”

Section: History and Origin Of Hashtags On Twittermentioning

confidence: 99%

Far-Right Digital Activism in Polarized Contexts: A Comparative Analysis of Engagement in Hashtag Wars

Chagas

Carreiro

Santos

et al. 2022

MaC

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Literature on influence operations highlights the coordinated actions of digital activists aimed at persuading audiences. Scholars have discussed many angles of this behavior and emphasized repertoires based on specific contentious actions. However, little is discussed about how these disputes allow us to apprehend different models of political action in polarized contexts. On a whole, studies have not considered a broader understanding of digital activism performed by supporters of far-right governments. How does the far-right spread its agenda and support the government in “hashtag wars”? What kind of strategies are employed? This study seeks to compare patterns of coordinated behavior in hashtags created by supporters and detractors of the Bolsonaro government in Brazil that occupied the trending topics on Twitter. The statistical analysis is based on 6.1 million tweets taken from 20 political hashtags collected over a three-month period from May to July 2020. Data was scraped using Twitter’s Search API v3.0 for academic use. We analyzed the overall volume and peaks of tweets, the users they engaged with, and their network of influence, as well as the length of each hashtag. The results show an intense use of hashtag activism by Bolsonaro supporters, with users struggling for greater prominence in social media in the face of political events in Brazil. This article sheds light on how the far-right appropriates digital platforms to promote the government’s public image in times of political tension and how it promotes coordinated actions aimed at framing social media audiences.

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Section: History and Origin Of Hashtags On Twittermentioning

confidence: 99%

Far-Right Digital Activism in Polarized Contexts: A Comparative Analysis of Engagement in Hashtag Wars

Chagas

Carreiro

Santos

et al. 2022

MaC

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“…Through ever-expanding technology, it has led to a transformation that simultaneously generates a new form of society called by Castell as a network society [8]. This view sees the form of new communication patterns that exist in society.…”

Section: Social Media Communication Patterns As New Mediamentioning

confidence: 99%

Hashtag Construction as Product of Symbolic Convergence: Berger and Luckmann’s Approach

Rewindinar

Triputra

Napitupulu

2020

JESBS

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Social media refers to technology in which organizations and individuals interact with their audiences. Organizations and individuals interact through messages that each can produce. On the Twitter platform, conversation occurs through its special characteristic, namely the hashtag symbol. This interaction is interestingly analyzed through Berger and Luckmann's view that interpersonal social interaction is a social construction of reality. A view through this objective, symbolic, and subjective reality can then be a way for public relations to overcome the initial stage of a crisis. This research aimed to explore symbolic convergence process on Twitter hashtags in the construction of the reality of Berger and Luckmann as a mechanism for crisis communication management. This research used a constructivist paradigm with a netnographic method. The interactions observed at #BUMNdukungUMKM on August 16, 2020, were then analyzed with the Berger and Luckmann social constructionist approach. The results of this research are able to answer the research objectives where symbolic convergence is a process in social construction of reality. Hashtags are dynamic processes that can lead to social discourses. Hashtag construction is product of symbolic convergence on social media as a mechanism for crisis management.

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“…The hashtag (#) symbol has emerged as a crucial expression component in popular culture (Van den Berg 2014). Initially, it was used and circulated on social media as a symbol continuously challenging and daring people to consume alcohol (Finn 2014;Mintz 2014;Van den Berg 2014). Its negative purposes resulted in some fatalities in Ireland (Finn 2014;Van den Berg 2014).…”

Section: Hashtag Thisflagmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Initially, it was used and circulated on social media as a symbol continuously challenging and daring people to consume alcohol (Finn 2014;Mintz 2014;Van den Berg 2014). Its negative purposes resulted in some fatalities in Ireland (Finn 2014;Van den Berg 2014). The symbol's positive adaptation is linked to Bre Lindeque, who after receiving a similar challenge responded by posting a video of himself doing charity work and daring people to take up the challenge (Mintz 2014;Van den Berg 2014).…”

Section: Hashtag Thisflagmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Politics and Symbolism of the #ThisFlag in Zimbabwe

Mawere¹

2020

SRSA

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In the context of the hashtag movement #ThisFlag, this paper examines the sensual affects drawn from flag symbolism and why the Zimbabwean flag is policed by the state. It uses the symbolism and politics of the hashtag movements by focusing on Evan Mawarire’s national lament and the Zimbabwean flag. It employs a literary and discursive analysis of Mawarire’s lament using desktop research on the contestations surrounding the flag. It shows that in dominant nationalist discourses, the flag is imaged as the land/nation and feminised to warrant it utmost respect, protection, sanctity and re/productive capacity. On the other hand, the #ThisFlag has made use of the flag to resist and subvert grand and naturalised dominant discourses of nationalism and citizenship to foster new imagi/nations of the nation. The use of the flag by the movement provoked ZANU-PF’s ownership of the national flag, which is quite similar to and has been drawn from the flag of the party, hence the movement was challenging the identity of the party, its ownership and its relevance. The paper shows the fluidity of symbols and symbolic meanings and why #ThisFlag had symbolic radical power and the possibilities of using the state’s and ZANU-PF’s cultural tools to challenge ZANU-PF’s hold on national knowledge and power. It contributes to our understanding of both state-power retention and how subaltern voices can uncover the agency of subjects within the very instruments of control incessantly used by dominant regimes.

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The story of the hashtag(#): A practical theological tracing of the hashtag(#) symbol on Twitter

Cited by 12 publications

References 9 publications

Far-Right Digital Activism in Polarized Contexts: A Comparative Analysis of Engagement in Hashtag Wars

Far-Right Digital Activism in Polarized Contexts: A Comparative Analysis of Engagement in Hashtag Wars

Hashtag Construction as Product of Symbolic Convergence: Berger and Luckmann’s Approach

The Politics and Symbolism of the #ThisFlag in Zimbabwe

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