Twitter users lampoon NPR over article debating emojis and white privilege

“Surely, with everything else going on in the world, one understands the ludicrous nature of this post,” a Twitter user wrote

NPR was mocked on Twitter after it published an article suggesting that white people using the default yellow "thumbs up" emoji was somehow indicative of white privilege.

On Wednesday, NPR shared an article on Twitter claiming that "some white people" choose to use a yellow thumbs up emoji because it is a neutral choice. Academics cited in the article suggested that not specifically using the white-colored emoji suggests a lack of awareness concerning their white privilege, "akin to society associating whiteness with being raceless."

Twitter users expressed exasperation with the article, mostly dismissing its claims as frivolous. While numerous commenters were conservatives suggesting that the government should "defund NPR," many others were liberals or progressives who found the premise absurd.

"Incredible that it took *three* NPR employees to write something this stupid," journalist Christopher Rufo wrote.

"I'm an Iranian-born refugee and naturalised American. This is childishly woke, and doesn't help people of colour. The yellow emoji is the default option. Please focus on real issues that affect Americans," Sia Kordestani wrote in response.

Some people interviewed in the story said they chose specific colours that match their own skin tone when using the emojis, while others just default to the yellow emojis as they are the default options on most phones and tablets.

While academics in the article debated whether or not the use of the emoji by white people was indicative of a lack of racial awareness or hyper-awareness of their racial privilege, the critics of the article crticised the entire discussion as wildly out of touch with the material struggles Americans face.

"This is such a ridiculous article. Surely, with everything else going on in the world, one understands the ludicrous nature of this post," Twitter user Olivia Walker wrote.

Another user posted a screenshot of the video game Final Fantasy VII in which a character tells another 'The planet's dyin' Cloud!" suggesting that the ongoing climate crisis threatening civilisation may be a more pressing concern to consider than the color of emojis.

Other commenters suggested that NPR was just providing right wing media with ammunition to use in its constant campaign to make liberals appear out of touch with the concerns of "normal" people.

"I hate to say this, but it's stuff like this that makes people hate liberals (and I am one)," Twitter user Jeff Sulymka wrote. "Now I have to second guess my emoji choice in fear I may be culturally appropriating, ignoring my privilege, or sending microaggressions, when really it was just whatever was the quickest?"