Post by @mirabilos@toot.mirbsd.org

@mirabilos@toot.mirbsd.org

2026-02-11 09:47 UTC

@ketmorco@fosstodon.org @farbel@mas.to @meganmariehart@mastodon.social @Sevapopov@mastodon.ml hashtags do not broadcast anything though, they serve as a selection filter of your instance’s global feed. Meaning, someone on your instance has to follow the poster or someone who boosted the post, otherwise your instance will not know it and has no (literally no) way to find it in a search. Instances tend to also load thread context, and public posts when you click on a profile. So, by joining in on discussions under posts (both your own and others’) you begin to build the reach that is necessary for the hashtags to even begin to work. (They also don’t always work for unlisted posts.) So, hashtags are much less important on the Fediverse than elsewhere, due to the lack of a central registry.

Replies (2)

@Sevapopov@mastodon.ml 2026-02-11 09:55

@mirabilos@toot.mirbsd.org @ketmorco@fosstodon.org @farbel@mas.to @meganmariehart@mastodon.social Does it mean that if I post something without a hashtag, let's say in English it won't have a huge difference than if I post it with the hashtag? Or if I post with hashtag people who follow it will find it so there will be more engagement with the post? If hashtags are only like filters here, it means that this is the same like in Telegram where they are used to categorize posts in a channel and it doesn't make huge sense in using them then.

Open ##2639997
@deborahh@cosocial.ca 2026-02-11 12:40

@mirabilos@toot.mirbsd.org @ketmorco@fosstodon.org @farbel@mas.to @meganmariehart@mastodon.social @Sevapopov@mastodon.ml I guess this is why choice of instance matters. Problem is: intersectional interests. I'm on a Canadian instance. It's great for news - terrible for my profession, which is more global than local. But hunting for the right server for people with my professional interest feels daunting.

Open ##2640009