International Hashtags Day: History, origin, and 7 hashtags that created momentum
Published on: Aug. 23, 2025, 7:30 p.m. | Source: Times of India
It’s hard to imagine a world today without social media. With the digital boom and technological advancements in the last couple of decades, social media has become an integral and undeniable part of our existence, to the point where we live more online and less in the real world. So, it’s only natural that we seek our daily dose of validation from the same place, as well as register our outrage there, in the guise of trendsWhat’s the best possible way to be seen while we’re on our way to make trends?By using hashtags!And today, on August 23, digital fans raise their virtual glasses to celebrate International Hashtags Day, to pay tribute to that little symbol (#) that transformed social media forever. But this isn’t just any holiday: it marks the birthday of the first-ever hashtag, created back in 2007 by an internet curious soul named Chris Messina and used on Twitter (now, X). Since then, it's exploded from a humble organizational tool into a global connector of ideas, movements, and memes.What began as a humble attempt to group tweets quickly became a global communications superpower. Today, hashtags rally communities, spark revolutions, and sell products.So, on the occasion of International Hashtag Day today, let’s trace the origin of the day, uncover how the # evolved into a cultural icon, and revisit seven hashtags that truly shook the world.
