Digital Solidarity and the Use of Hashtags as a Way to Label the Ecological Communities

Abstract

This paper examines the concept of digital solidarity that emerged in the era of high technology development, digitalization and digital culture. As a form of social support and approval in the digital space, this kind of solidarity is gaining popularity due to the possibility of using universal codes and hashtags to mark certain topics, indicate belonging to the community and “recognize” one’s own in digital communication. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the processes of communication in the digital space, which has created a need for the formation of new cultural codes and meanings in the digital environment. In certain areas, for example, in the environmental agenda, there is a special need for labeling a community if it is at the stage of emerging and requires information coverage. Using the example of digital solidarity in an environmental theme, explored through hashtags on social networks, this article reveals a new form of social interaction that promotes social integration and the joint expression of ideas. As a result of the study, hashtags of the first and second order are identified, which determine the range of topics, involvement in issues and are used mainly in combinations to enhance the effect and increase coverage in social networks.