What seems friendly to one person can come off as offensive or confusing to another — especially across age groups.

The use of emojis in digital communication is not as straightforward as it might appear. Despite their small size and seemingly innocuous demeanor, emojis can convey messages that vary widely in interpretation, sometimes acting like social hand grenades. This variability is particularly evident across different age groups and cultural contexts, where an emoji seen as friendly by one person might be considered confusing or offensive by another.

A recent study conducted with passers-by in Reykjavik examined the interpretations of various emojis. Participants were given a selection of emojis and asked to share their interpretations. Responses varied, with some individuals finding certain emojis joyful while others perceived the same symbols as depicting sadness. The classic smiley face, a commonly used emoji, illustrates this issue well. Even slight variations in the smile's degree or the shape of the emoji's mouth can result in different interpretations, influencing the perceived tone of a message.

This experiment highlights the complexities involved in digital communication, where meaning is not absolute but fluid. The findings suggest that even the simplest symbols, such as emojis, have the capacity to convey a wide range of emotions and messages, serving as a reminder of the importance of context and individual perspective in interpreting digital text.



How emojis are being used as social hand grenades

It was not clear if Hamas’ statement meant it had accepted the proposal from US President Donald Trump for a 60-day ceasefire.

Jerusalem

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Washington

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Heavy rainfall in central Texas caused the Guadalupe River to overflow and unleash a torrent of water. The bodies of at least 13 children and adults have been recovered and more than 20 girls are missing from a sleepaway camp.

Kerr County

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Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

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U.S. President Donald Trump marked the passage of the new spending bill, which includes changes to food assistance, student loan programs, and clean energy credits. Robert Costa joins "CBS Mornings" to break down what's in the legislation.

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Gilimanuk

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Manhattan

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Tehran

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Bryan Kohberger changed his plea to guilty Wednesday for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. CBS News national correspondent Carter Evans has more on the case.

Boise

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Everglades

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The U.S. Senate passed the Republicans' reconciliation bill on Tuesday (July 1) after more than 24 hours of marathon voting on amendments. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote.