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%