'Anti-LGBT' emoji sparks outrage on Twitter

The “anti-LGBT” emoji is not an official emoji

The appearance of an emoji-like icon which appears to promote an anti-LGBT message has sparked outrage on social media.

The emoji, which features an LGBT pride flag with a crossed-out circle, has gone viral on Twitter after it was first discovered on 18 February.

It is believed that the image was not made by emoji creator Unicode but is an issue that appears for users if they tweet the pride flag emoji — or any emoji for that matter — and the “prohibited” emoji together.

On mobile devices, the anti-LGBT emoji appears as a strikethrough placed on top of the pride flag. However, on desktop, the strikethrough is placed after the flag.

A Twitter user, who goes by the handle @mioog, claims that he discovered the issue and has known about it for over a month.

The user told American LGTB magazine Out that he was “shocked” to discover the phenomenon.

He claims to have found it by combining two unicode blocks – a type of coding used to create emojis - to make one symbol.

“It shouldn’t be possible. I’ve been embracing it, but it’s also dangerous for people to use it hatefully,” he said.

Many people have expressed their concern about the anti-LGBT emoji on Twitter.

“Why does this exist?” one person wrote.

Another added: “This new emoji is anti-pride. Sickening.”

In a bid to deflect negative use, a number of queer people have adopted the emoji, using it ironically and making jokes on social media.

An Emojipedia representative explained on Twitter that the “anti-LGBT” emoji is not an official emoji and appears when a user combines two existing characters.

“Nothing new, and can be done with any emoji,” they tweeted.

Twitter has since confirmed that the company is looking into the issue.

“The way the emoji appears is due to Unicode presentation on iOS, and on its own is not a violation of our rules,” a Twitter spokesperson told Paper Magazine.

“However, if a user is targeted with this kind of emoji, and we have context that the intention is to shame, degrade, or harass based on membership (or perceived membership) in a protected category, we will action under our Hateful Conduct policies.”