#JeSuisCharlie was one of the most viral hashtags in history – here's why it wouldn't happen today

By Emma Connolly, PhD Candidate, Politics and International Studies, The Open University

It will be nine years on January 7 since a shooting at French weekly satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo killed 12 and injured 11 of its employees. The attack led to an immediate and unprecedented outpouring of solidarity around the world. Much of this support was organised online, using the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie (I am Charlie).

In my PhD research, I am exploring the role of social media in commemoration, specifically when it comes to terror attacks. The immense popularity of #JeSuisCharlie is a prime example of how the technology available to us can shape our understanding of shared…

Read complete article

~	Famous monkey-face ‘Dracula’ orchids are vanishing in the wild

~	With Riot Women, Sally Wainwright is turning menopause into punk rebellion

~	Millions will get a windfall over car finance. Research helps us understand what they’ll do with it

~	Should parents allow their children to go online? All the inflammatory coverage makes the decision far harder

~	The UK military says Russia targets its satellites on a weekly basis. What can be done about it?

~	Who are the women supporting Trump?

~	Black hats, cauldrons and broomsticks: the historic origins of witch iconography

~	A Protestant candidate has added a twist to Ireland’s presidential race

~	Can you catch shingles? A GP explains what people get wrong about this common virus

~	The dark history of medical illustrations and the question of consent