«What do you think if we use the # to group ideas?» On August 23, 2007, exactly 17 years ago, Chris Messina , a former manager of Google and Uber, proposed, on Twitter, of course, the current and very intense use of the symbol that, until then, we knew as a hash or numeral.

It had begun to be part of the fixed telephones when they acquired buttons. It sounds like a Pleistocene although not so long ago, but the world was then analog. A few days after that 'tweet' from Messina that continues on the social network, the # began to be used to describe reality, as it served to report on a fire that ravaged San Diego (United States) that same summer. And the rest is ... recent history.

To this day, the 'hashtag' serves to express emotions , to allow the search for content in the tidal wave of the internet, to call for mobilizations, to denigrate the opponent, to generate controversy and to defeat stereotypes. It is used by governments, institutions, pressure groups , the 'lobbies', the neighbor of the fifth who is very heavy with cleaning the neighborhood and has created #DerechoCalleLimpia.

Whatever, anything goes, because within the 'hashtag' is all our crazy -and there is still a lot left- 21st century, in which we have known social networks and incorporated easily into our lives. With the 'hashtag' one gossips and informs, delimits the vast content that floods the internet and allows us to express complex concepts in a few words. What touches, go.

It has been central to all recent historical events. It served to show support during the attacks that Paris experienced in November 2015. They happened with little time between each other, the chaos was brutal in the city and the 'hashtag' #PorteAverte (Open doors) was launched so that the people in possible danger will find shelter.

Then we went #JeSuiCharlie, in defense of those who suffered another attack in the magazine 'Charlie Hebdo' and also in rejection of what happened. More recently, the Black Lives Matter phenomenon, in defense of African people, reached its climax on #BlackLivesMatter, of course.

But there are smaller 'hashtags', due to their visibility, that also draw the importance of this symbol that began to be used in Ancient Rome and has been derived in its uses throughout history. Anyone can do it: #ZeroToleranceWithMiguelBose could come up with someone tomorrow. Or Jennifer, who is tired, could write on her Instagram account: # NoMásBotellón # MenudoFiestón, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Which proves the idea of ​​the beginning: almost two decades of 'Newspeak'.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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