Let’s talk about the emoji. They’re everywhere: Facebook, You Tube, Twitter, all other social media. You may think you’re sending a smiling, loving, or funny emoji. But some studies are saying that emoji could be easily misinterpreted.
A study was done at a GroupLens lab through the University of Minnesota. They observed the Emoji ‘Grinning Face With Smiling Eyes’. This one differs, depending what app and what device you use. The version of this particular emoji on Samsung Galaxy looks happier than it does on Facebook or Apple, but they’re still the same emoji. This causes confusion of how the grinning emoji is interpreted. Samsung Galaxy users, for the most part, thought the ‘Grinning Face With Smiling Eyes’ emoji sent positive vibes. Apple and Facebook Messenger users thought this same emoji produced either negative or creepy vibes. If that wasn’t confusing enough, a good percentage of iPhone users thought this was a positive emoji. So there’s confusion even among Apple users. And what about the more neutral emoji? The rain emoji could tell someone it’s raining in their town, or it send the message that you’re very sad. The eggplant emoji could tell someone you’re eating healthy or encouraging someone to eat healthy. Or you could be sending someone an insult about their weight or health.
My advice before you send an emoji: Know your audience. This study proves that. Not only know your audience, know the device you’re sending your emoji from. What might be funny to one person might be offensive to another person, especially in this highly offensive politically correct environment we’re in now. What might mean happiness to another person might mean doom and gloom to another. How often do you use the emoji in your life? What message do you convey? Which ones are the easiest? Which ones are the most confusing?