Twitter Bans the Use of Hashtags
One of the most useful features on Twitter is being withdrawn as of today – the hashtag.
For anyone not on Twitter, a hashtag is the universal # symbol, and helps to separate individual conversations from the overall Twitter stream. For example, if I want to just talk with people about silly jokes, I would use the hashtag #sillyjokes. This would help others just follow that conversation by opening up a browsing window just for that hashtag.
There are some hugely popular hashtags, like #blogchat – a chat about blogging, oddly enough – and #socialmedia – a topic about social media (who said us social media types weren’t smart?). But, as of today, no more.
Twitter issued a statement saying that they were stopping the use of hashtags because of its connotation with drug use. Hash is slang for hashis, also known as cannabis, a drug known for making you feel sleepy. Not something that’s much use when you’re on the fast-paced world of Twitter.
“While we recognize cannabis may be legal in some countries, it’s obviously a concern for us to be associated with drug use. Even if Twitter co-founder Ev might look stoned to some folks, we can assure you he isn’t – he’s just a laid-back happy chappy!”
The announcement probably doesn’t come as a surprise – Twitter is looking to monetize its service, and being too stoned to click on promoted ads isn’t beneficial to anyone.
So, farewell hashtag – we knew you when, and you were fun. Guess it’s back to the drawing board for the Bong Button that was due to replace the Tweet button…
More details of the Twitter ban on hashtag use can be found here.
Well done prank! Needed a good laugh!
#ThankYou
OK I've got to admit that I am probably the most gullible of everyone commenting. It took me until today to realize that this was April Fool's. Along with trading avatar's with Gini. At least I was able to express my outrage against something made up as opposed to my usual outrage against reality.
Got to tell you though, we in the US have gotten to the point that this could have very well been true.
Kudos! hehehe nice one Danny... for a minute or two i simply thought... what is it going to be now... Twitter whithout #hastags... they must be coming up with something even bigger....
Perfect tittle, i bet it has caught many eye's attention!
I was going to write a comment asking things like "how will they have us thread the convos, and what were they thinking" until I went to the comments and realised I'd been had.
Nicely done. now go sign up for gmail Motion!
Danny, aloha. Catchy Headline = More Traffic = More People Smiling Today Because of You! Mahalo for the smiles, Danny.
Best wishes for a great weekend-no foolin' Aloha. Janet
Bad, Bad, Bad Danny Brown! ;-) I'll admit, I fell for it, for a minute ... Happy April Fool's Day!
This reads like an Onion article. Very good work indeed.
Had me believing or rather not believing .. like what is Twitter thinking!! ... or apparently smoking as the case may be LOL. #brilliantpost
Cheers@ridingtoyfan@kidsrideontoys
Hook...Line...and Sinker...! There Was a Moment of #Panic There Before I Realized That It's an #AprilFools Joke...! #HarDeeHar My Good Man...!
#HarDeeHar
Narciso Tovar@narciso17
Big Noise Communications
And I nearly fell for it Danny LOL Good one :-)
Patricia Perth Australia
They say its all about the headline and this one is well written. Very funny.
Great, nice to know that one of the biggest on-line entities is that stupid.. Next thing you know they're be coming into your home and ripping the hash key off your keyboard due to fears of incitement to use cannabis...
Son of a B***h! 12 days later...
HA!!!! :)
HA!!!! :)
Well, Chief, I fell for it ....I was already frowning and thinking #ohnowhatwilljonastondo #heisthehashtagking.
You had me at the Headline....:=)
deb
p.s. I know I need to post a photo up here....hehehe. I'm slow :=)
Wow, check out your awesome new avatar - very swish, Deb, great picture! And I am chuckling heartily at the Jon Aston quote! :)
Well done prank! Needed a good laugh!
#ThankYou
Hello Danny,
I have to admit that it took me a few seconds to realize that it was a prank. So well done! Were you able to keep your composure while writing the post?
Hi Cendrine,
I did chuckle a few times as I imagined the engineers at Twitter trying to work out a way to ban hashtags... ;-)
I can only imagine! It was a genius post, anyway! I need to write one of those next year. ;-)
OK I've got to admit that I am probably the most gullible of everyone commenting. It took me until today to realize that this was April Fool's. Along with trading avatar's with Gini. At least I was able to express my outrage against something made up as opposed to my usual outrage against reality.
Got to tell you though, we in the US have gotten to the point that this could have very well been true.
Hi Pamela,
Always feel free to pop by this way to vent - my shoulders can take a lot of stuff. ;)
Kudos! hehehe nice one Danny... for a minute or two i simply thought... what is it going to be now... Twitter whithout #hastags... they must be coming up with something even bigger....
Perfect tittle, i bet it has caught many eye's attention!
Cheers, sir - and who knows, perhaps there is something in the works. Stranger things have happened... ;-)
Danny,
I've been telling people about this one all day!
Love it, very witty!
Hey there mate,
Thank you - glad you enjoyed, and double thanks for sharing the love. :)
Cheers sir!
I was going to write a comment asking things like "how will they have us thread the convos, and what were they thinking" until I went to the comments and realised I'd been had.
Nicely done. now go sign up for gmail Motion!
"Gmail Motion" = ha!!
Cheers, John, glad it got you thinking - now for next year's planning.... ;-)
Does that mean this story is true if I read it on April 2nd instead of April Fools Day? hihi
#nicelydonebonsaiboy
PS - you looked really perrrty yesterday with your new hairdo - new shampoo? new hairdresser? Either way - hair, hair! lol ;)
You saying it wasn't true, missy?? ;-)
And yes, I clean up pretty good, no? ;-)
Are you saying I would dare contradict you? ;)
And yes, you looked absolutely fabulous! That dress was so you!
Receiving my email subscription on Saturday morning, I had to think about this for nearly ten seconds before weeding (geddit?) out the joke. Very good, Danny.
Ha, nice use of the double connotation, Jon! :)
Cheers, sir, have a great weekend :)
Simply awesome and funny, great job db.
k
Caught your headline in my in-box, Danny, only it was today so I wasn't thinking 4-1 anymore. Had to quick read and then remember. First thought, was wow if anyone should know, Danny should, but... yes, you got me!
Hehe, you know, I was wondering if it would still work (or work better) on email subscribers, for the very reason you mention.
Cheers, Julie, have a great weekend! :)
hahahahaha
Should I slap you or give you a big fat Kiss!
Very good
Wendy X
Entirely up to you, my dear - as long as the slap doesn't involve a wet fish. :)
I'm a bit late for the party, just saw the post this morning. Very funny! And a great headline. Thanks for making my April 2nd.
Cheers, Sam, happy to have you not miss the party, mate. :)
#Twitter wont be complete without #HASHTAGS ahaha. Great job danny!
Now for the first time, I realized, it was April Fool's Day.
Danny, aloha. Catchy Headline = More Traffic = More People Smiling Today Because of You! Mahalo for the smiles, Danny.
Best wishes for a great weekend-no foolin' Aloha. Janet
Thanks, Janet - have a wonderful weekend yourself, miss, here's to it being a good one. :)
Nice one, didn't fall for it for a nano-second, but wanted to get to the punchline! #Niceonecyril
Not even a micro-noodle split nano-second? Okay, note to self - try harder next year. :)
Well....ok, I was incredulous for the time it took me to read the title, THEN I clocked that it MUST be be an April Fool.....so yes, I guess you must have had me for a micro-noodle split nano-second! ;-)
Enjoying the great content here, by the way!
Well....ok, I was incredulous for the time it took me to read the title, THEN I clocked that it MUST be be an April Fool.....so yes, I guess you must have had me for a micro-noodle split nano-second! ;-)
Enjoying the great content here, by the way!
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