For my interviews, I talked to two of my friends who are active texters, social media users, and emoji users. One is Natalie. She’s in her late twenties and is a talent manager for TikTok stars. The other is Victoria. She’s in her mid twenties and operates her own small business.
Q1: How frequently do you use emojis?
V: I use a lot of emojis, mostly just with friends though.
N: For me it really depends on who I’m talking to. Like if there’s a serious conversation, I’m not using them. But if it’s informal or just messing around in group chats I use them pretty often not a ton. And I I use different emojis with different friends. I use a lot of gifs too though.
Q2: Do you use emojis in text differently than in social media?
V: Yes! I use emojis so much more on social.
N: Same. I think social media is definitely the emoji hub. Like comments are all emojis and captions are all emojis. I know a lot of my talent take a long time trying to pick the right emoji for their posts.
Q3: Do you feel like everyone thinks emojis mean the same thing?
V: Yes and no. I feel like the context really matters. Like crying laughing could be super mean or like I’m dying laughing that was so funny.
N: Half the time I’m not sure what the emoji I’m using even means. Like the one with the hands I thought was like spreading happiness but it’s actually a hug? I think? I still don’t know.
Q4: Did you know a lot of emojis have hidden/alternative meanings?
V: Basically every emoji has some sex/drug secondary meaning, and I don’t even know all of them. One time I was posting something on TikTok and a friend texted me to be like why did you use the corn emoji? You know that means porn right? You tagged your post as TikTok porn? And I was mortified.
N: Yeah I feel like I know a few. A lot of times though I just hear about them from someone else who’s like did you know that emoji also means this? I honestly don’t know where people come up with this stuff.
Q5: Are you ever worried you’re using an emoji wrong or someone will take it the wrong way?
V: Yes! I feel like I can’t use the eggplant emoji for anything other than a dick or people will just assume that anyway. Can you imagine if I texted someone that I’m going out to buy some eggplant emoji? They will all think I’m talking about buying sex or something.
N: Someone told me that No one uses the thumbs up emoji anymore and if you use it you’re considered old, so I stay away from that one now.