Hashtags as attention seeking in a global event: Gender hijacking, spamming, and appeals to unrelated causes

Abstract

Global events attract widespread attention not only from fans who go to see the games but also from online users. Yet, the staging of such events can also overlap with a range of events: international issues occurring at the same time or promotion or selling of services that can be typically classified as spam. This study uncovers how hashtag spamming can overshadow a major global sporting event. By focusing on hashtags unrelated to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and employing mixed methods approaches, we focused on how hashtags were hijacked to promote causes that were irrelevant to the Women’s World Cup, and served as arenas for visibility of spam. The results of this study reflect how unrelated content can hijack elements of a media event and reveal the mechanisms utilized to highlight how this occurs.