Social networking site Facebook has announced plans to introduce clickable hashtags for users.
The tool is already widely used on other media, such as micro-blogging site Twitter, so users can find out what others are discussing.
Facebook users have long-adopted the hashtag, often using it as an addition to comments and status updates. But they will now be able to click on the hashtagged words as a search term and view a feed of discussions relating to that topic.
Under the plans, announced today, users will be able to:
- Search for a specific hashtag from the search bar. For example, #fathersday
- Click on hashtags that originate on other services, such as Instagram.
- Compose posts directly from the hashtag feed and search results.
In a post for the company, Facebook's Greg Lindley said: "To date, there has not been a simple way to see the larger view of what's happening or what people are talking about.
"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.
"Hashtags are just the first step to help people more easily discover what others are saying about a specific topic and participate in public conversations.
"We'll continue to roll out more features in the coming weeks and months, including trending hashtags and deeper insights, that help people discover more of the world's conversations."
Hashtags already feature prominently in popular music, with artists incorporating the punctuation into song and album titles, while the video for current number one single Blurred Lines by US RnB singer Robin Thicke features the artist's surname and a hashtag flashing on screen throughout.