In modern dating, some unspoken rules can contribute to the success — or premature demise — of an early-days courtship. Most of us know the classics — don’t bring up exes in conversation too early, be available (but not too available) when making plans, and when it’s time to pay on the first date, at … Read more
Eating your veggies? Thumbs up. With computerized records and messaging through patient portals, some doctors have traded their infamous chicken scratch handwriting for easier-to-decipher hieroglyphics. And a new study aims to understand emojis’ emerging use within the medical profession, specifically clinical notes and patient portal messaging. As part of their work, researchers from University of … Read more
A new batch of emojis has been approved for iOS 26. Surprisingly enough, Apple or Google isn’t the ones that decide which emojis come to your phone. That’s the job of Unicode Consortium, a nonprofit that maintains the Unicode Standard, the universal character encoding system that ensures text and emoji appear consistently across platforms and … Read more
Emojis can improve relationships, according to new research. Using the digital representations of emotions and ideas in text and social media messages boosts closeness and relationship satisfaction by complementing face-to-face interactions, say American scientists. Although emojis are highly prevalent in texting and social media, no previous studies had looked at their potential as a tool for … Read more
Cherries, apple, lemon? A child safety expert has revealed the possible second meanings behind those seemingly innocent emojis your children are using — and moms and dads might be shocked by what they really infer. “Fruit emojis have various meanings, some a little more lewd than others,” said Aneeca Younas of FindMyKids, a parental control … Read more
Smiling at Gen Z? Better watch your back. What used to be the universal symbol of warmth and joy has taken a sinister turn — at least in the eyes of Gen Z. The classic smiley face emoji now means something completely different to those under 30. Instead of conveying happiness, the grinning yellow face … Read more
Your favorite emoji might reveal more about you than your therapist. According to a new study published in the journal Current Psychology from Oklahoma State University, your emoji habits might be a window into your soul — and not necessarily the pretty part. Researchers surveyed 285 undergraduates — mostly around 20 years old — asking … Read more
iPhone users have new ways to express themselves. The latest iOS 18.4 update quietly released eight new emojis for Apple devices, including a harp, a shovel, a fingerprint, a tree, a flag and a radish. However, there is one image in particular that has captured people’s imaginations: An “exhausted” emoji that features dark under-eye bags, … Read more
A picture — or an emoji — tells a thousand words. Amit Kalley, the founder of the organization For Working Parents, has issued an urgent warning to parents about the secret meanings of smartphone emojis that could be used by children to convey “sinister” messages. “The unregulated internet can be very dangerous for our children,” … Read more
A 5-year-old boy is devastated because he was covered by an emoji in his official class photo. After his mother’s attempt to protect his privacy online, and a series of miscommunicated messages with the school, the final photo makes his exclusion awkwardly obvious. “It’s all my fault. Nothing I can offer or say will make him feel better,” the Sydney mom … Read more
If you love to use emojis, you’re going to heart this news. Researchers from Indiana University say those who use a lot of emojis tend to have higher emotional intelligence, which is the ability to understand, perceive and manage your emotions and the emotions of others. Less emoji use with friends and romantic partners is … Read more
Looks like we’ve got some bad apples. iPhone users are creating inappropriate emojis using Apple’s new Genmoji feature. The generative AI emoji tool allows iPhone users to generate custom emojis using simple text prompts. Genmoji — a generative AI emoji — allows iPhone users to generate custom emojis using simple text prompts. Apple However, since … Read more
Four in 10 Americans believe a text feels naked without an emoji, according to new research. The survey of 2,000 Americans (aged 21+) revealed 41% of respondents believe a message needs to include an emoji to be complete. Younger respondents were most likely to agree with this statement: 70% of Gen Z said emoji needed … Read more
Emojis are part of our day-to-day conversations, though sometimes they can get lost in translation. There are often misunderstandings through emojis when communicating between generations, but there are also different meanings for some emojis across different cultures and countries. “People can attach all sorts of different second meanings to these little pictures,” Noël Wolf, a … Read more
Do you know what these emojis mean? Emojis have become a fun and quick way to communicate, but they can often cause confusion due to varying uses across cultures and generations. A new report from language education platform Preply found that 81% of Americans have been confused by someone else’s use of an emoji. Findings … Read more
Can you decipher these ancient hieroglyphics? In the age of hyper-evolving tech, the innovative emojis of today make those of yesteryear — read: 20 to 30 years ago — seem digitally prehistoric. Whether it’s texting your pals or drafting social media posts, a bevy of incredibly detailed emojis for every occasion are right at our fingertips, … Read more
Tone can be difficult to discern and easy to misconstrue in a text message and according to mental health professionals, three little words can trigger an onslaught of anxiety. The top-tier text offender to send someone with anxiety? “Can we talk?” Licensed marriage and family therapist Alex Oliver-Gans tells HuffPost, “The ambiguity and lack of … Read more
The modern-day portrait is the Emoji Lisa. Lauren Edelstein has pulled countless all-nighters layering thousands of emojis on top of each other on her iPhone to create wacky celebrity portraits made entirely of the popular images usually relegated to social media and texts. “A lot of them I’ve worked on for months,” Edelstein, 38, told … Read more
An emoji used in a post-sex text message sparks widespread bafflement on Married At First Sight with clueless producers left no choice but to desperately recruit a Zoomer as the show’s new expert to decipher its hidden meaning. Speculation explodes at Wednesday’s dinner party about the cyber hieroglyph, with the group tossing up two translations: … Read more
They’re giving emojis a thumbs down. Gen Xers and baby boomers understand the meanings behind the digital icons, but they are not confident in their ability to use them, a new study from the University of Ottawa has found. “We found that older users are less likely to use emojis, use fewer emojis, and feel … Read more
Grandma, did you mean to send that eggplant emoji? A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Nottingham found that older people tended to misuse emojis — such as surprised, fearful, sad and angry reactions — to express their emotions through texting. Many people use emojis in chats to add spice, laughter or … Read more
This warrants two digital thumbs way up. Craving fresh ways to express yourself pictorially? Not to fear: iPhone users will soon be able to enhance their graphic vocabulary with the addition of a whopping 118 new emojis, including a phoenix, a shaking head, and four gender-neutral families. The emojis are available as part of a … Read more
Gen Z isn’t peachy keen. Intraoffice communications have become increasingly informal in the post-pandemic workspace. Many 9-to-5ers of all ages, both in-office and remote, have come to rely on messaging platforms like Slack and Google Teams, as well as emails and texts to causally connect with colleagues, executives and clients on work-related matters. But when it comes … Read more
These emojis got a major digital thumbs-up this year. An Irish emoji expert has revealed the 10 most popular emojis for 2023, which he believes reflect positively on digital discourse as a whole. In fact, the favorite emojis were overwhelmingly upbeat, according to Keith Broni, 32, the editor-in-chief of the reference site Emojipedia. The top … Read more
In a bid to promote inclusivity and challenge stereotypes, 10-year-old Teddy from England, has initiated a campaign urging Apple to redesign its “nerd face” emoji. Teddy, a proud glasses-wearer, finds the current emoji “offensive and insulting” due to its portrayal of prominent front teeth. Teddy revealed the motivation behind the campaign to the BBC, saying, … Read more
For some freaky sweeties, the “F” in WFH is taking on a whole new meaning. Thanks to remote work, Wednesday isn’t the only “hump day.” A September 2023 report has found that one in four, or just over 25%, of work-from-home employees are having sex on the clock — and naughtily using the “fire,” “smoke,” … Read more
Royal blush! Prince William is getting cheeky, as the heir to the British throne recently revealed in a new interview that his most-used emoji is, well, very NSFW. “Is this a clean thing or is this a family one?” William, 41, joked during a Tuesday, October 10, appearance on the BBC Radio 1 show Going … Read more
They’re getting their tights in a twist. Critics are bashing star ballerina Misty Copeland, who started a petition to add more inclusive shades of color to the traditional pink Apple ballet shoe emoji. Copeland, 41, the first black woman to become a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, posted about the initiative to her 1.8 … Read more
What used to be seen as an innocent, fun way of communicating could now carry huge legal risks as cases involving emojis increase around the world. Within the last decade, more cases that involved the use of emojis have been accepted by courts as evidence in both criminal and civil cases, with extremely expensive consequences, … Read more
Mom to the rescue. Jax Anderson and her 12-year-old daughter, Evelyn, have their own private distress signal. The secret “S-O-S” allows the preteen to quickly and discreetly telegraph the need for parental intervention, in case of uncomfortable or even life-threatening situations — without anybody knowing she’s calling for help. It’s the “poop” emoji. “Whenever Evelyn … Read more
Baffled by an upside-down smiley face? Join the club! The “woman tipping hand” emoji was among the most confounding for people across the country, according to a study conducted last month which also put the “money with wings” and “nail polish” icons at the top of the list. “I have no clue what people mean … Read more
Emojis — they might be beloved or canceled by Gen Z, but certain ones have deeper meanings. A British cellular company has revealed the truly in-depth implications that come with sending many of these little symbols to garnish a text message. One can mean you’ve been sentenced to the friend zone as the sender has … Read more
They say a picture is worth a thousand words — and in this case, a book title. In celebration of World Book Day Thursday, UK-based elevator company Stannah put out a tweet challenging followers to identify 10 classic kid’s books by using emojis as clues. “In celebration of #WorldBookDay, we’ve created a brainteasing #book emoji … Read more
An emoji can be worth a thousand words. And with some, they can be fighting words. As more Americans have adopted remote or hybrid models of working, millions are dependent on Slack for interoffice communication — and workers are finding subliminal ways to digitally express frustration. While outright saying that you don’t approve of someone … Read more
If you want to avoid being considered passive-aggressive by a Gen Zer, think twice before sending that thumbs-up emoji. Emojis tend to have hidden meanings that have created confusion between generations, according to Keith Broni, the editor-in-chief of emoji reference website, Emojipedia. Along with the thumbs-up emoji, the crying with laughter emoji and the slight … Read more
Despite being super handy, emojis have recently gotten the thumbs down. From hieroglyphs and rune stones to stop signs and the fraught eggplant, human beings have long used icons as shorthand. As our most recent companions to written language, emojis have been used as slang for sex acts and the dealing and doing of illegal … Read more
The thumbs up might be getting a thumbs down, but these emojis can help you upgrade your likability status. Gen Zers have called out the popular thumbs-up emoji for being “rude” and “hostile,” going so far as to say that they feel attacked whenever they see it used in the workplace, but other emojis can … Read more