Post 5 Other EOTO's

    During the classes EOTO presentations, the communication technology that stood out to me were emoticons, also known as emojis. Their creation was entirely by accident in the 1800's. They started off as a typo appearing in a newspaper. It was the most basic form of emojis being a smiley face with a colon and a parentheses :). I find it to be most intriguing how a simple typo from about 200 years ago still holds relevance into today's online societies. 

    Emoji's can be found in any kind of messaging platform from private communications to most live streaming services that offer a "chat" area. Emojis have also changed from simple groupings of punctuation marks to actual icons and images. This change didn't come until the 1990's when online messaging started to enter the scene. They've also stemmed into more than facial expressions. On iPhones alone, they offer a myriad of emojis for numerous topics; these can range from animals, buildings, or miscellaneous categories.

    Emoji's have added a new layer to communication, especially in online platforms. If someone struggles to express their emotions in posts with just text; emojis can help that person express their feelings in their writing. While emojis have done a lot of good, they have also created a slight language barrier at the same time. Some emojis have taken on second meanings, thanks to modern trends and pop culture. A couple of these examples would be found with the skull emoji, the baseball cap emoji, and a few of the food related ones. The skull emoji is still used for subjects about death, but it has now grown to be used a reaction to things. Specifically, a reaction to when something shocks you in a negative way. The baseball cap now replaces the word "lie" in social media posts and comments. A select few of the food related ones have taken on a sexual connotation. 

    The main reason for the success of the emoji comes from its convenience and adaptability. They can enhance your posts, save space with their expressions, and even take on new meanings as time goes on. All of this while having a friendly art style to them makes it approachable to nearly everyone.