Apple, for all we know, eats petitions and lawsuits for breakfast. However, it's not every day that someone as young as 10 years old is asking the Cupertino giant to change the current design for its "nerd glass" emoji.
According to a report by Apple Insider, a kid named Teddy from Peppard, Oxfordshire, has launched a petition urging the company to modify its glasses emoji, which he finds "offensive and insulting."
He believes the current emoji, often colloquially known as the nerd emoji, perpetuates a negative stereotype of glasses wearers.
Campaign for Inclusivity
Teddy, with a desire to reshape the narrative, has taken matters into his own hands. He has redesigned the emoji to showcase thin lenses, thin frames, and a small smile, renaming it the genius emoji.
His campaign, initiated in his school and now gaining online traction, aims to encourage Apple to adopt his inclusive design.
Expressing his sentiments, Teddy said that it's making him feel sad and upset. He says that he's not the only one who thinks about the insulting nerdy emoji since thousands of people globally are still feeling the same with him.
The young advocate emphasizes the importance of accurate representation and aims to challenge the stereotype associated with glasses wearers.
"We want to change this - Apple are making it absolutely horrible for people wearing glasses. They're making people think we're nerds and it's absolutely horrible," Teddy told BBC.
Related Article: Google Maps New Update Adds Emoji Support for Faster Search
Nerd Glass Emoji Campaign Gets Support From Teachers
Teddy's teacher, Lisa, appreciates his initiative, stating, "I love his inquisitive mind and the fact he fights for what he believes in. He's quite vocal about it but in quite a grown-up way, and I think that should be supported, encouraged, and commended as well."
While Teddy's campaign is currently gaining momentum among people, he hopes that Apple will take action about this matter. He also hopes that the company will implement his suggested changes so there will not be division among emoji lovers.
Speaking of emoji, Apple reportedly won a lawsuit accusing it of copying the diverse emoji trademark.
According to Tech Times, the incident which happened in February 2022, highlighted the complainant's statement about Apple which alleged the firm used three patent applications.
However, the federal judge from California dismissed the allegations and said that the claims were all "weak" copyright accusations.
Who would have thought that a simple emoji used in chats could push Apple to the brink of lawsuits? The small and cute symbols of faces, numbers, and other stuff could affect its business in the long run—even if we barely pay attention to them.
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