Mystery 'eye in speech bubble' emoji in iOS 9.1 linked to anti-bullying campaign, fast-tracked by Ap
The "eye in speech bubble" emoji found in iOS 9.1 is connected to an Ad Council anti-bullying campaign, and its adoption was intentionally fast-tracked by Apple in support.
The campaign, "I Am a Witness," is intended to encourage kids who witness bullying to take action, Wired reported on Thursday. Design for an original icon was handled by Goodby, a San Francisco ad agency, with the idea that kids could use it to oppose bullies and show support for victims.
Goodby approached Apple about adopting the symbol as well, but while it was met with a positive response, the agency was told it would take at least a year or two to get it approved under Unicode, a platform-agnostic text format. As an alternative the company came up with its "zero-width joiner" technique, merging existing eye and speech bubble icons via a special character. Apple uses the same technique to create different family icons.
When the image was first uncovered in iOS and OS X betas in September, there was some speculation that it might be related to video messaging. Apple declined to explain the emoji to Wired, acknowledging simply that it's present in the latest iOS release.
People who don't have an iOS 9.1 device can still download a separate I Am a Witness keyboard, available for iOS and Android.
The campaign, "I Am a Witness," is intended to encourage kids who witness bullying to take action, Wired reported on Thursday. Design for an original icon was handled by Goodby, a San Francisco ad agency, with the idea that kids could use it to oppose bullies and show support for victims.
Goodby approached Apple about adopting the symbol as well, but while it was met with a positive response, the agency was told it would take at least a year or two to get it approved under Unicode, a platform-agnostic text format. As an alternative the company came up with its "zero-width joiner" technique, merging existing eye and speech bubble icons via a special character. Apple uses the same technique to create different family icons.
When the image was first uncovered in iOS and OS X betas in September, there was some speculation that it might be related to video messaging. Apple declined to explain the emoji to Wired, acknowledging simply that it's present in the latest iOS release.
People who don't have an iOS 9.1 device can still download a separate I Am a Witness keyboard, available for iOS and Android.
Comments
Still creepy looking.
Maybe that's not the point, ok. But why is a taco or this reported as though it's a huge new tent pile feature? I don't get that.
Oh, puhleaze. What's next, ribbons of every conceivable color?
But no one is going to use it with that in mind.
"Eye-Message" makes more sense to me.
Can I get a witness?
Honestly, who needs emojis?
Maybe that's not the point, ok. But why is a taco or this reported as though it's a huge new tent pile feature? I don't get that.
What's a "tent pile"?
Oh, and please point us to the press release where Apple announced these emojis as a tent-pole feature. I'll be waiting.
Honestly, who needs emojis?
Maybe that's not the point, ok. But why is a taco or this reported as though it's a huge new tent pile feature? I don't get that.
Nobody "needs" emojis but there are millions of customers who love them and use them regularly.
Maybe you are just old and out of touch?
That's a tent pole autocorrected by my iPhone.
How about throw Starbucks or other company logo "emoji" in there? At least there's no doubt what you're indicating with a company logo.
I sure am
What's a "tent pile"?
Oh, and please point us to the press release where Apple announced these emojis as a tent-pole feature. I'll be waiting.
That's a tent pole autocorrected by my iPhone.
Oh … and I thought you were referring to ????… ????
Of course they won't. The Internet culture finds its own meaning in emojis.
Seriously? They're going to have Unicode define a standard glyph for a PSA campaign that will probably be completely forgotten by this time next year?
What's next? Will they grant Disney glyphs to promote the next Pixar film? How about for political candidates? Why don't we just eliminate all semblance of a purpose for Unicode and make it all a giant free-for-all, like text encodings were in the 80's?
There's a time and a place for promoting various causes, but the international standards for text encoding is never the right place.
Companies are international. Why not have a Disney emoji?
I am against this emoji and I feel that Apple should provide a setting to disable it completely, just like somebody has the option to either enable or disable countless other features and services.
I don't feel that politics and political correctness has any place sneaking itself in and being embedded into an OS, and such features should be kept out.
Considering its only BTTF day +1 how fast we forget...
Want to know how to deal with a bully? Punch them in the face.
Sending them an emoji will only guarantee that your underwear will get pulled up over the back of your head.