8 Hijacked Hashtags Gone Horribly Wrong (or Right)

The hashtag is the tool of choice for communication on Twitter, and it's a prominent feature on social media sites such as Google+, Pinterest, Tumblr and, most recently, Facebook. It helps create conversations, aids in the spread of news and promotes events or products

But sometimes, when a hashtag is trending or a company promotes it, it isn't used for the original tweeter's intended purpose. This process is known as hashtag hijacking — or hashjacking — and it's common practice on Twitter.

Hijacked hashtags often remain on a relatively minor scale, but there are cases in which a hashtag takes on a life of its own and spreads like wildfire, much to the chagrin of its original creator. Read more...