Social media users are NOT happy after receiving yet another censorship update, this time promising that your account can, and most likely will be, deleted if you're using any ironically sexual emojis Facebook and Instagram no longer want people using in captions and posts.
Sexually-charged emojis like the eggplant and peach have been used since people first started saying "emojis are the new sexting" back in like, 2015. Now that things have been going too far for too long, social media platforms are trying to pull in the reins and undo some obvious damage.
Kids who are way too young to be publicly talking about sex (especially when they don't know how dangerous it actually is to have your face and life plastered permanently online for ANYONE wanting to see), adults who take their twisted fantasies too far, and any innocent who's ever been holla'd at by an unworthy suitor in the DM's are probably in more need of protection than they know. Unfortunately, protection and puppet-mastery are not separated by clearly defined lines in our society, so it's totally understandable why anger and rebellion are the quickest response to being censored / threatened with cancellation of our own accounts.
But what if these faceless entities with all the decision-making power really are looking out for us the best way they know how? After all, social media did bust in like an intrusive eggplant emoji and royally screw up our already chaotic surroundings. Maybe they feel responsible for having facilitated newly "normal" social interaction to dark places where real harm exists more freely than freedom of expression.
Either way, it's not cool to force people exercising their freedom of speech to exercise it in a way you see fit, no matter who the "you" is. Especially considering you and I own our own user content on IG. However, considering "researchers found that those who used emojis more frequently went on more dates and had more sex" - here's an interesting twist:
Instagram's Privacy Policy states: "We may also access, preserve and share information when we have a good faith belief it is necessary to: detect, prevent and address fraud and other illegal activity; to protect ourselves, you and others, including as part of investigations; and to prevent death or imminent bodily harm." I can see this being used as a loophole for exactly what we're experiencing right now regarding emoji censorship. They're either avoiding or already long-under fire for fostering this ultimately unsafe and addictive environment of social media, so they have limited options and powerful beings to keep happy.
One thing is certain: us regular people aren't the "powerful beings" they're working to keep happy, even though we're the ones more exposed and addicted than ever before.
Just let me know when this whole mess is finally over.
Most importantly, just be a good person and stay curious & hopeful! Better days are on their way. Hopefully.
Happy rebelling, dirty birdies! xoxo