Gen Z labels thumbs-up emoji 'hostile' and 'passive-aggressive'

WASHINGTON (TND) — Is the thumb-up emoji "hostile" or "passive-aggressive"?

Some members of Gen Z say yes and expressed their emotions about the symbol on Reddit— as well as nine other emojis they believe are for "old people" and should no longer be used.

Daily Mail reported that a 24-year-old Reddit user recently claimed that the thumbs-up emoji should "never [be] used in any situation" because it is "hurtful".

No one my age in the office does it, but the Gen X people always do it," Daily Mail said of the Reddit user. "Took me a bit to adjust and get [it] out of my head that it means they're mad at me."

Others agreed and said it's especially inappropriate in work settings.

My last workplace had a WhatsApp chat for our team to send info to each other on and most of the people on there just replied with a thumbs up," one person noted, while another wrote, "I don't know why but it seemed a little bit hostile to me."

Several others wrote, "Cancel the thumbs-up emoji."

Another user sparked the following question: "Who else thinks that the “black thumbs up emoji being downvoted” meme is racist?"

But the thumbs-up emoji isn't the only emoji Gen Z wants to be ousted.

Daily Mail also cited a poll in which 2,000 people between the ages of 16 and 29 voted on their least favorite emojis. They include the following:

• Thumbs up - 24%
  
• Red love heart - 22%
• OK hand - 20%
• Tick - 17%
• Poop - 17%
• Loudly crying face - 16%
• Monkey eye cover - 15%
• Clapping hands - 10%
• Lipstick kiss mark - 10%
• Grimacing face - 9%