@ is the new #

The hashtag has become the internet's standard punchline, not just a way to track topics on Twitter but a humorous shorthand, a clever aside, an under-the-breath comment. But as logging in to various sites and services using our Facebook and Twitter accounts becomes more and more common, the at-symbol is poised to emerge from the middle of email addresses and usurp the humble hashtag as the internet's glyph of choice. It's a way of calling out our friends and crediting our inspirations. The next big shorthand.

Photo (cc) by Flickr user HowardLake.