Elon Musk may own X, formerly Twitter, but that didn’t stop many of the social media platform’s users from giving him the business on Tuesday.
What did the Tesla mogul do to deserve the snark? Well, he told the site’s users to no longer use hashtags to identify and organise specific topics.
The admonishment came in response to a post from a man who asked Grok, the platform’s AI chatbot, to weigh in on using hashtags in posts.
Grok apparently isn’t a fan of the tags, calling them “as useful as a screen door on a submarine,” and Musk agreed.
“Please stop using hashtags. The system doesn’t need them anymore and they look ugly,” he posted.
Please stop using hashtags. The system doesn’t need them anymore and they look ugly. https://t.co/GKEp1v1wiB
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2024
But even though the owner of X doesn’t like hashtags, many others think they have value.
X users snarkily let Musk know they think he’s off-base on this, and yes, some even included particularly appropriate ― hashtags ― to make their point.
— Farzad (@farzyness) December 17, 2024
We should make #StopUsingHashtags trend ????
— Carlos Btno Cigar????????♥️????♥️???????? (@CarlosBtnoCigar) December 17, 2024
Im gonna start using hashtags on everything man #fuckthisguypic.twitter.com/XpZ4RELGK2
— Sofi⁷ @ Hobi freedom (@chirithies) December 17, 2024
I WILL NEVER STOP USING THE HASHTAGS
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) December 17, 2024
????#BREAKING
????#hashtags | #aresexy
You are really sensitive #SissySpaceX#ApartheidClyde
— Quadcarl (@quadcarl_carl) December 17, 2024
I personally like hashtags. pic.twitter.com/OqECEtjqOu
Some people tried to explain to Musk that hashtags help people organise and find contact on X.
the whole purpose of hashtags is to organize and find posts attached to that hashtag.
— Silver (Val) (@SilverNyx_) December 17, 2024
ive been wondering why the advanced search has been so shit lately, makes sense now. https://t.co/PU7iGjBeJTpic.twitter.com/43b0Uj4VoN
Nope, I use X for my own amusement. Hashtags are my logging tags. Been here since 2016. Sorry, Elon. Hashtags are still very useful for certain keywords & research. ???? As long as it's not spammed full, it's all good. Whatever floats thy boat!
— Iris | Mother of Dragons ???????????????? (@iriszio) December 17, 2024
One person noted that Musk’s hatred for the hashtag is yet another reason that has made the site “unusable and boring.”
Get rid of blocking, tell people to stop using hashtags, make the main feed totally algorithmically unusable and boring.
— julia alexander (@loudmouthjulia) December 17, 2024
Congrats to Elon -- in just a couple of years he has successfully destroyed everything that made Twitter an app for connection.
(even if hashtags do suck) pic.twitter.com/2TSamnQFYF
And another user pointed out how the site’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, didn’t appear to get Musk’s memo.
I guess @lindayaX didn’t get the memo ???? pic.twitter.com/eYNT32EWOd
— Maile (@MaileOnX) December 17, 2024
I get it.
— Marc Palasciano (@marc_palasciano) December 17, 2024
You had to kill hashtags so you could be in control of the algorithm.
I see all your moves. ????
Elon Musk calls hashtags "ugly."
— Art Candee ???????? (@ArtCandee) December 17, 2024
He's one to talk.
????
