Fashtag

{{hatnote|The fashtag should not be confused with [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbYifzlTx4TdfI9BvfWpZog Fashtag Clothing], an upscale London clothery}}[[File:Fashtag hashtag fascist nazi.jpeg|thumb|165px|right|The original "fashtag", captioned "The hashtag is a symbol of hate"<ref>{{a|1=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1705518727|2=#FASHTAG}}, fцику мцику, Steam</ref>]]
{{cquote|They’re unable to resist the bait. Every time.|||[[Reddit|/r/TheDonald]] user who trusted a photoshop<ref name=TD>{{a|1=https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/bte0n0/cnn_fashtag_the_new_hate_symbol/|2=CNN: Fashtag! The new hate symbol!}} ([https://snew.notabug.io/r/The_Donald/comments/bte0n0/cnn_fashtag_the_new_hate_symbol/ archive]), /r/TheDonald, Reddit</ref>}}
{{alt-right}}
The '''fashtag''' or '''Bash the Hash''' was an attempted [[:Category:Right-wing troll campaigns|right-wing troll campaign]] spawned in May 2019 by [[4chan]]'s [[/pol/]] board. The campaign was intended to dupe [[Liberal media|The Media]] into believing that the {{wpl|Hashtag|hashtag}} is a [[fascist]], [[alt-right]], or [[Bigotry|hateful]] symbol. The campaign produced fake adverts, fake media coverage and was praised by numerous far-right pundits.

It didn't work.

==Failure==
The "fashtag" was favorably received by neo-Nazi blog ''[[The Daily Stormer]]'',<ref>[https://archive.fo/TUYRy #HeilHitler: “Fashtag” is a New Way to Signal to Other Followers of Nazi Ideology!], ''The Daily Stormer''</ref> "journalist" [[Tim Pool]]<ref name=pool>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE7cZ8fbyVY|2=Media Takes 4Chan Bait, Runs Hashtag Hoax Story}}, Tim Pool, YouTube</ref>, fetid swamp [[Reddit|/r/TheDonald]],<ref name=TD /> [[ancap]] furry Mr. Dapperton,<ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWV_QCzbl_k|2=Fashtag - Worlds Best Troll}}, Mr. Dapperton, YouTube</ref> disgraced [[pundit]] [[Milo Yiannopoulos]]<ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92wNTZcGLiE|2="Milo Yiannopoulos on Fashtag and OK Sign"}}, Milo Yiannopoulos on ''Legion Of Skanks'', YouTube</ref> and a few small right-wing [[YouTube|YouTubers]].<ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtZJjf72iF8|2=OPERATION BASH THE HASH # {{!}} Hacker 4chan Trolls Twitter}}, Mr. Obvious, YouTube</ref><ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OARl7YlrX0|2=Fashtag: New Hate Symbol}}, Martina Markota, YouTube</ref><ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbCe5OoyhHw|2=}}</ref><ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnV1iYkXOaQ|2="Fashtag 4Chan's newest hoax explained."}}, Conservative With a Mic, YouTube</ref><ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbCe5OoyhHw|2="4Chan Tricks NPCs With Hashtag Is Symbol Of Hate"}}, Salty Cracker, YouTube</ref> More than 200 threads on 4chan attempted to organize the operation.<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?q=%28"fashtag"+OR+"bash+the+hash"%29+site%3A4plebs.org "("fashtag" OR "bash the hash") site:4plebs.org"], ''Google Search'']</ref> Many of these sources claimed or implied that "The Media" was duped and described the hashtag as a "symbol of hate".

In reality, all mainstream coverage noted that the campaign was a hoax, including ''[[The Telegraph]]'',<ref>{{a|1=https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/NOT-REAL-NEWS-A-look-at-what-didn-t-happen-this-13911110.php|2="NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week"}}, Amanda Seitz and Beatrice Dupuy, ''The Telgraph''</ref> {{wpl|VT Communications|''VT''}},<ref>{{a|1=http://vt.co/news/weird/4chan-are-trying-to-make-the-hashtag-a-symbol-of-white-supremacy/|2=4chan are trying to make the hashtag a symbol of white supremacy}}, Joe Terzon, ''VT''</ref> and even fucking [[RT]].<ref>{{a|1=https://www.rt.com/news/460490-4chan-hashtag-symbol-nazism/|2=Is the # sign a symbol of Nazism and white supremacy? 4chan is trying to make people think so}}, ''RT''</ref> This also includes the article from ''The Daily Dot'',<ref>{{a|1=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/4chan-troll-campaign-bash-the-hash/|2=4chan’s new troll campaign aims to make the hashtag a white supremacist symbol}}, Mikael Thalen, ''The Daily Dot''</ref> which was claimed as proof that the media took the bait<ref name=pool /> despite being written by an ''[[InfoWars]]'' writer.<ref>{{a|1=https://mobile.twitter.com/jaredlholt/status/1133233305372024832|2="Shot: Bad article about a flubbed 4chan campaign Chaser: Daily Dot ran this article by someone WITH MANY BYLINES AT INFOWARS The feedback loop has been closed!"}}, Jared Holt, Twitter</ref> Claims to the contrary were mostly themselves [[fake news]], including a fake local TV spot<ref>{{a|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjchNaJgA98|2=Fashtag # is a racist hate symbol {{!}} MAGA M3ME5}}, Dan Jordan, YouTube}}</ref> and a fake CNN screenshot of [[SE Cupp]] produced below:

[[File:Cnn fashtag.jpg|thumb|center|The claimed CNN screenshot]]
[[File:Cnn fashtag real.jpg|thumb|center|The real CNN screenshot<ref>{{a|1=https://www.mediaite.com/trump/s-e-cupp-rips-kellyanne-conway-crying-sexism-is-her-go-to-move/|2="S.E. Cupp Rips Kellyanne Conway: ‘Crying Sexism’ is Her Go-To Move"}}, ''Mediaite''</ref>]]
{{clearleft}}

The term "fashtag" rose to about 1/10<sup>th</sup> the search volume of "hashtag" in May 2019.<ref>[https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&geo=US&q=fashtag,hashtag "Fashtag", "Hashtag"], ''Google Trends</ref>

In short, as usual, this 4chan "hoax" mostly consisted of 4channers hoaxing other 4channers into believing that they were actually having an impact.

==Switch Reloaded==
In Season 4 Episode 8 of the German comedy series ''Switch: Reloaded'', a sketch parodying ''The Office'' with Michael Kessler as [[Adolf Hitler]] features a redesigned nazi flag with a hashtag/number sign replacing the swastika. The episode first aired in July 2010, nine years before the hoax emerged.<ref>https://www.prosieben.de/tv/switch-reloaded/video/22-obersalzberg-schreibmaschinen-fuers-vaterland-clip</ref><ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1151173/?ref_=ttep_ep2</ref>

==See also==
*[[Alt-right glossary]]
*[[Operation Swedistan]]
*[[DropTheB]]
*[[LGBTP]]
*[[NoMenMidterms]]
*[[No White Democrats]]

==External links==
*[https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/fashtag Fashtag], ''Know Your Meme''

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}
[[Category:4chan]]
[[Category:Alt-right]]
[[Category:Right-wing troll campaigns]]

Categories: 4chan, Alt-right, Right-wing troll campaigns