Apple stops 'woozy face' emoji from appearing when 'stammer' is typed

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion
Apple has issued an update that stops the "woozy face" emoji from appearing when users type in the word "stammer" into messaging apps on iOS, including iMessage.

The Woozy face appearing when
The Woozy face appearing when "stammer" is typed into Messages.


Earlier in July, Stamma, the British Stammering Association, called out Apple for the gaffe, in which the "woozy face" would appear as a suggested emoji if users typed the word "stammer" into a first- or third-party messaging app on iOS.

On Friday, Stamma tweeted that Apple "issued an iOS update to remove the link" that caused the issue.

WE DID IT!

Our statement on 'woozy face' emoji below: @Apple unacceptably prompted this emoji when typing in stammering, in all languages.

We invite @Apple and companies who a working to create an inclusive space to do better.'

Thank you all who helped stop this. pic.twitter.com/Xb628cgCGU

-- STAMMA (@stammer)


The link between "stammer" and "woozy face" on iOS was likely not intentional. Instead, it could have been the result of machine learning incorrectly associating the word with the emoji. Apple, like other companies, uses machine learning to determine common word and emoji usage.

It isn't clear whether the issue was resolved in the latest iOS 14.7 update, or if Apple rolled out a server-side fix to correct it.

Stamma noted that "Apple has not issued an apology, nor responded to [its] correspondence." However, it added that it welcomes the response to the problem.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Anyone who is offended by anything has power these days. Funny
    dewmeBeatssbdudepulseimagesMplsPshark5150elijahgbyronl
  • Reply 2 of 17
    p-dogp-dog Posts: 131member
    AppleInsider said:
    Apple has issued an update that stops the "woozy face" emoji from appearing when users type in the word "stammer" into messaging apps on iOS, including iMessage.

    The link between "stammer" and "woozy face" on iOS was likely not intentional. Instead, it could have been the result of machine learning incorrectly associating the word with the emoji. Apple, like other companies, uses machine learning to determine common word and emoji usage.

    It isn't clear whether the issue was resolved in the latest iOS 14.7 update, or if Apple rolled out a server-side fix to correct it.

    Stamma noted that "Apple has not issued an apology, nor responded to [its] correspondence." However, it added that it welcomes the response to the problem.

    What does Stamma want, Apple’s first-born child?!
  • Reply 3 of 17
    napoleon_phoneapartnapoleon_phoneapart Posts: 548member
    lkrupp said:
    Anyone who is offended by anything has power these days. Funny

    Yeah, Imagine, stammerers who are often equated with having a mental handicap. Who could be offended by that?

    Well, I for one.
    edited July 2021 marc gp-dogbaconstangRayz2016GeorgeBMacrobababyronl
  • Reply 4 of 17
    marc gmarc g Posts: 65member
    napoleon_phoneapart said:
    lkrupp said:
    Anyone who is offended by anything has power these days. Funny

    Yeah, Imagine, stammerers who are often equated with having a mental handicap. Who could be offended by that?

    Well, I for one.
    And I for another. 
    napoleon_phoneapartp-dogGeorgeBMacrobaba
  • Reply 5 of 17
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    “WE DID IT!”

    Companies are giving the tiny vocal minority way too much power and they’ve becomes entitled as*holes ruining everyone’s products.

    Dr. Seuss is racist in 2021, Apple makes fun of disabilities, Land O’ Lakes makes fun of Native Americans…

    What next?
    shark5150
  • Reply 6 of 17
    sidricthevikingsidrictheviking Posts: 184member
    Good move, Apple. A simple fix for an unnecessary annoyance to a tiny minority of us. Thank you. 
    sbdudenapoleon_phoneapartFileMakerFellerrobababyronl
  • Reply 7 of 17
    sbdudesbdude Posts: 256member
    Because people don't stammer for reasons other than mental disabilities. Thank you, Apple, for saving us from ourselves. Maybe next you can prevent the word "woman" from showing an emoji of a woman.
    edited July 2021 byronl
  • Reply 8 of 17
    sirdirsirdir Posts: 187member
    napoleon_phoneapart said:
    lkrupp said:
    Anyone who is offended by anything has power these days. Funny

    Yeah, Imagine, stammerers who are often equated with having a mental handicap. Who could be offended by that?

    Well, I for one.
    No I'm sure it's a mental benefit. 

  • Reply 9 of 17
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,016member
    At long last our global nightmare is over.  
    p-dogFileMakerFeller
  • Reply 10 of 17
    tommikeletommikele Posts: 599member
    marc g said:
    napoleon_phoneapart said:
    lkrupp said:
    Anyone who is offended by anything has power these days. Funny

    Yeah, Imagine, stammerers who are often equated with having a mental handicap. Who could be offended by that?

    Well, I for one.
    And I for another. 
    You. Both should get over it. Instead of whining about his observation and attempting to shame him, go out and educate people about stammering and your claim about it. No one I know equates it with a mental handicap. You equate his comment to having made a remarks equating stammering to a mental handicap. He did no such thing. Shame on you

    Any one who is offended by anything has power these days. That is true, but very sad and not funny. I am am offended by your comment. I demand you apologize and feel shame and humiliation and do so in a public forum.
  • Reply 11 of 17
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,661member
    Definitely storm in a teacup material.

    A mistake of course and it wouldn't have hurt Apple just to say 'Oops, we goofed, sorry' and get on with other stuff.

    The STAMMA reaction was a but OTT but they were right and this needed to be brought to Apple's attention.

    Machine learning or not, the emoji trigger words should have been better vetted by a human but as they say, 'shit happens!'

    And yes, my warped English sense of humour tells me I should write those last two words in a different way but I won't, so as not to affect modern day sensibilities. 
    GeorgeBMacnapoleon_phoneapartMplsPcrowley
  • Reply 12 of 17
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    marc g said:
    napoleon_phoneapart said:
    lkrupp said:
    Anyone who is offended by anything has power these days. Funny

    Yeah, Imagine, stammerers who are often equated with having a mental handicap. Who could be offended by that?

    Well, I for one.
    And I for another. 
    I had a stammer as a child.  Me three.
    GeorgeBMacnapoleon_phoneapart
  • Reply 13 of 17
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    lkrupp said:
    Anyone who is offended by anything has power these days. Funny

    Apple should issue an update that shows the pile of poop emoji when users type in the word "conservative" or "Libertarian" into messaging apps -- just to see if they apply the same rules to themselves as they apply to others.
    napoleon_phoneapartforgot usernamerobaba
  • Reply 14 of 17
    juliansjjuliansj Posts: 2member
    The comments appear full of Americans decrying political correctness run amok and baffled at why the neutral word “stammer” should be offensive. In British English, however, it’s the term for a stutter, which is a medical condition. (A similar disconnect occurs with the word “spastic” or the derived term “being a spaz”, which in the U.S. is unstigmatized slang for sudden outbursts or odd behavior, but in the U.K. is a derogatory way of talking about people with neurological conditions like cerebral palsy.)
    edited July 2021 GeorgeBMacrobaba
  • Reply 15 of 17
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,921member
    I’ve never heard stuttering referred to as stammering before this. In the U.S., stuttering is a speech impediment, stammering is speech affected by other reasons, typically intoxication. The emoji was a perfect match for that. (Note that if you type ‘stutter,’ the emoji didn’t come up.) 

    all this seems like people too easily offended about a trivial issue
    byronl
  • Reply 16 of 17
    robabarobaba Posts: 228member
    tommikele said:
    marc g said:
    napoleon_phoneapart said:
    lkrupp said:
    Anyone who is offended by anything has power these days. Funny

    Yeah, Imagine, stammerers who are often equated with having a mental handicap. Who could be offended by that?

    Well, I for one.
    And I for another. 
    You. Both should get over it. Instead of whining about his observation and attempting to shame him, go out and educate people about stammering and your claim about it. No one I know equates it with a mental handicap. You equate his comment to having made a remarks equating stammering to a mental handicap. He did no such thing. Shame on you

    Any one who is offended by anything has power these days. That is true, but very sad and not funny. I am am offended by your comment. I demand you apologize and feel shame and humiliation and do so in a public forum.
    Oh, no!  People other than me are being listened to!  My world is coming to an end! /s

    seriously dude,perhaps you could take your own advice?
    GeorgeBMacnapoleon_phoneapart
  • Reply 17 of 17
    napoleon_phoneapartnapoleon_phoneapart Posts: 548member
    MplsP said:
    I’ve never heard stuttering referred to as stammering before this. In the U.S., stuttering is a speech impediment, stammering is speech affected by other reasons, typically intoxication. The emoji was a perfect match for that. (Note that if you type ‘stutter,’ the emoji didn’t come up.) 

    all this seems like people too easily offended about a trivial issue

    Merriam-Webster:

    Definition of stammer

    intransitive verb

    : to make involuntary stops and repetitions in speaking : stutter

    transitive verb


    GeorgeBMac
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