Emoji faces to get racial diversity

Nov 4, 2014 - 17:37
Nov 4, 2014 - 17:51
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Emoji faces to get racial diversity
Spread the love ... emoji characters will come in a range of five skin tones. Source: Supplied

EMOJI characters will be more representative of the real world with the announcement that they will soon come in a range of six skin tones.

The Unicode Consortium which manages the emoji standard has announced a plan to produce emoji faces in a range of skin tones based on the Fitzpatrick scale used by dermatologists.

The default colour will be a non-realistic yellow but users will be able to choose a skin tone that is more realistic.

In couple emoji, such as the popular icon of a man and woman joined at the head by a heart, the user will be able to specify different skin tones for each of the people.

The uniform emoji code will still be limited in other ways. Users, for instance, will be able to change the skin of the couple in love but cannot change their gender to signify two men or two women in love.

Before you reach for your smartphone to start spreading the news in a more racially descriptive way, you should know there is no rush. The changes are not expected to kick in until June next year.

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Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher is a Georgia-based freelance journalist covering local news, community developments, and regional issues that matter most to residents across the state. Writing for Georgianewsday.com since 2016, Mike has built a reputation for clear, balanced reporting and a strong connection to the communities he serves. His work spans city council decisions, school board updates, small business features, public safety reports, and statewide policy changes. In addition to local coverage, Mike occasionally reports on state politics and national headlines, offering readers context on how broader decisions impact Georgia communities. Known for his steady, fact-driven approach, Mike prioritizes accuracy, fairness, and accessibility in every story. Whether covering a town hall meeting or breaking political developments, he aims to inform readers with clarity and integrity. Outside the newsroom, Mike remains actively engaged in Georgia’s civic landscape, always seeking the next story that shapes the state’s future.