Facebook Hashtag Functionality Announced
Move over Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr, you won't be the only ones utilizing the now-famous hashtag appendage to link up conversation over the hottest topics on the internet. Social networking collossus Facebook has just revealed that it is also getting into the hashtag game.
"To bring these conversations more to the forefront, we will be rolling out a series of features that surface some of the interesting discussions people are having about public events, people, and topics. As a first step, we are beginning to roll out hashtags on Facebook," said Facebook's product manager Greg Lindley.
The functionality of the hashtag feature will be the same as it is on a site such as Twitter. By adding a #(subject), you will now be able to see what everyone else is saying about the subject that was tagged. The move should make for a more versatile and interconnected experience on Facebook.
"Hashtags are already happening across Facebook, but now they will be clickable and it will pop out a hashtag feed," a Facebook spokesperson told ABC News.
The move to add hashtags was expected to happen for some time now. In fact, it's a little surprising that Facebook did not integrate that function earlier, as it has been wildly popular since inception six years ago. Facebook is generally regarded as the trend-setter, and to follow in other companies' footsteps is rare for the social networking site.
Facebook-owned Instagram has already integrated the feature, as has Google+, Tumblr, Flickr, and of course, Twitter. The bottom line behind utilizing the feature, however, had less to do with keeping up with competition, and more to do with properly implementing another way for people to develop connections across the globe.
"Every day, hundreds of millions of people use Facebook to share their thoughts on big moments happening all around them. Whether it's talking about a favorite television show, cheering on a hometown sports team or engaging with friends during a breaking news event -- people on Facebook connect with their friends about what's taking place all over the world," Lindley observed.
Facebook has already rolled out the hashtag availability to roughly 20% of its user base, a move that is status quo for a company that frequently enacts updates to its interface. The rest of the Facebook population should be able to use the hashtag feature in the coming weeks.
#cantwait
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!