Twitter announces its debate hashtag — and a new emoji

As the number of ways to watch Monday's presidential debate grows, Twitter is taking its own twist on how to get you to not only watch but also participate. The site released its official debate hashtags that, for the first time, this year include a corresponding emoji. Twitter users can follow along with the debate by tweeting and searching for #Debates and #Debates2016. Starting Thursday, the two hashtags will generate an emoji with a podium and mic. The hashtags and emoji add to Twitter's broader efforts around the election, which will include livestreaming the debate on smartphones and on the company's new connected device apps.