Emojis tend to have hidden meanings that have created confusion across generations, according to Keith Broni, editor-in-chief of the site Emojipedia.
"The thumbs-up emoji and the sneaky smiley are some of the emojis that Gen Z wants people to stop using," he explained.
People from younger generations are trying to avoid the thumbs up emoji as they see it as passive-aggressive and a lazy response.
Another emoji that Gen Z finds a little "passive-aggressive" is the smiley face. Broni suggests using a more expressive emoji instead.
Young people tend to use the thumbs up emoji ironically, which causes miscommunication between generations, especially in the workplace.
A recent survey suggested that people between the ages of 16 and 29 believe you're "officially old" if you use certain emojis, including thumbs up, red heart, etc.
However, Broni suggests that, to avoid misunderstandings, emojis are best avoided.
The strange influence of emojis
A recent study conducted by Adobe suggests that heart-kiss emojis, heart-circled smileys, and heart-eyed emojis can make you more likable.
While some emojis can be seen as passive-aggressive, others have developed sexual connotations. The eggplant, peach, water drop and devil smiley face emojis all have sexual connotations and should not be used out of context.
Source: NY Post
