Skip to main contentSkip to navigation
Print subscriptions
Sign in
Search jobs
Search
The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian

Emojis

January 2024

  • Graphic of a fluffy white kitten with big blue eyes, a little gold unicorn horn and pastel stripes

    Clumsy kittens, pigs in costumes and glittery unicorns: how the cult of cute took hold

    From chubby puppies to loveable robots, ‘cuteness’ has us all melting in its sticky little hands. But why did it gain such global traction – and does it have a dark side?

December 2023

  • Animal avatars

    Fungi and flatworms? Scientists call for greater emoji biodiversity

    Researchers say better representation could elicit interest in lesser-known organisms and help conservation efforts

September 2023

  • Suitcase emoji

    Pass notes
    Emoji dumping: how to say it’s over when you can’t be bothered with words

    One in three online daters have been ditched by emoji. But what are the symbols that spell out ‘It’s not you, it’s me’?

July 2023

  • Hannah Jane Parkinson

    Once sneered at, it seems emojis are having the last laugh

    Hannah Jane Parkinson
    From World Emoji Day to being cited in court cases, the language of symbols has come of age

April 2023

  • Replica of St Edward's crown, created in 1661, which was displayed at Hever Castle, Kent, for the Queen's platinum jubilee

    St Edward’s crown fashioned as emoji for Charles coronation

    Buckingham Palace creates Twitter hashtags with motif of 17th century crown to sit on king’s head during May ceremony

March 2023

  • Composite of Elon Musk with a poop emoji on a stick.

    Twitter’s been sending press the poop emoji. Why does Musk love it so much?

    The email auto-reply isn’t the first time the CEO has embraced the symbol as he works to own the libs

July 2022

  • The aubergine and the skull, on a background of yellow circles

    Pass notes
    Emojis in the office: have they made your emails not suitable for work?

  • Hearts and hands

    Emoji update includes afro comb, goose and more hearts

February 2022

  • Paris Hilton wearing sunglasses and a pale blue jacket

    The shifting patterns of English
    May I have a word about… the costly business of going wordless

    Jonathan Bouquet
  • Emma Brockes

    Digested week
    Digested week: prospect of war in Ukraine deserves more than sad face emojis

    Emma Brockes

September 2021

  • Girl texting on smartphone at home

    NSW Health not so peachy keen on Covid hookups in lockdown

    Authorities say leaving the house for a one-night stand doesn’t count under ‘compassionate grounds’, ‘care giving’ or ‘exercise’

August 2021

  • Smiles better? Not on email ...

    Pass notes
    Don’t put on a happy face! Are you using the smiley emoji all wrong?

    The classic grinning emoji has once more changed its meaning – at least amongst gen Zers. So what is it communicating now – and what should you be using instead?
  • A school teacher telling off two pupils in a classroom

    Brief letters
    Honest, Sir, it wasn’t me 😇

    Brief letters: School forms | Emojis | NHS ranking | Actors with chemistry
  • Woman with smartphone

    Emojis aren’t debasing language – they’re enriching it

    Benjamin Weissman
    With a new set about to be released, it’s time to consider how these symbols enhance the way we communicate, says cognitive scientist Benjamin Weissman

July 2021

  • Melting face, low battery, equals sign, crying eyes, salute, a pregnant man, and cant bear to look, hands making the love sign, and a multiracial handshake emojis

    Pregnant man and multiracial handshake emojis unveiled before launch

    Additional emojis aim to complete Unicode’s drive to offer more variety and gender-neutral options

February 2021

  • The syringe emoji before and after the upcoming changes

    Syringes and a flaming heart: iPhone reveals more than 200 new emojis

    Options for couples with different skin tones and a bearded man or woman also part of iOS 14.5

November 2020

  • Berger & Wyse on emojis – cartoon

    Berger & Wyse
    Berger & Wyse on emojis – cartoon

    Forbidden fruit...

May 2020

  • It’s easy to roll your eyes at the endless march of new emoji, but the system is meaningful for many.

    Covid-19's unlikely victim: new emojis 😱

    The pandemic has forced the Unicode Consortium to delay new emojis in 2021 – but remixes of existing ones could be on their way

November 2019

  • Composite showing oak recycled bike, Sergey Brin modelling Google Glass and a floating city

    So long, 2010s: the decade in review
    'I predicted more video eyewear': the 2010s as seen by futurologists

    Floating cities, wooden bikes, smart glasses: how did trend forecasters fare?

October 2019

  • Apple’s new inclusive designs allow for a choice of non-binary people and couples.

    Apple introduces non-binary emojis with new set of inclusive faces

    While celebrated, some in the LGBTQ community say it reinforces a fixed idea of what gender-neutral people should look like
About 162 results for Emojis
1234...
Explore more on these topics