Emoji Meanings & Moderation

Most of us use emojis all the time, when we´re texting friends & family, or when we can´t think of a witty caption on Instagram. Since their creation emojis have become their own language with each emoji having a specific connotation. Indeed, if you aren´t aware of what some emojis mean, then this might lead to some awkward misunderstandings, think twice before you use the devil emoji…

However, whilst emojis can be a fun and easy way to express oneself they can also have a darker side and be used to communicate illegal activities in a way to escape detection from authorities as well as to evade online platforms moderation systems. There are numerous ways that people may use emojis to do so (but not limited to):

1.       Emoji ciphers

People may evade platform moderation systems by replacing letters or words with specific emojis to stop the word from being flagged by the moderation system.

2.       Contextual meaning

Some emojis have a different meaning depending on the context. Therefore, individuals may use this ambiguity to convey messages without explicitly stating them.

3.       Steganography

Individuals may use emojis as a form of steganography, embedding hidden messages without seemingly innocuous content.

4.       Group code systems

Certain individuals may establish informal group codes where specific emojis represent certain activities, substances, or illegal actions.

Moreover, there are many emojis that may seem harmless that are used to signal illegal or harmful activities. These can be single emojis with a meaning or groups of emojis to signal a single word or activity. Some of these include:

• Maple Leaf = can represent marijuana or cannabis

• Pirate flag = may be used to signal towards hacking or digital privacy violations

• Cookie emoji = used to signal a large batch of substances such as drugs

• Pizza with cheese = commonly used in relation to illegal activities concerning children

• Chick hatching from an egg = commonly related to smuggling or trafficking activities

• Skiing downhill = often related to cocaine

What can platforms do in relation to moderation & emoji codes?

Platforms need to stay on top of emoji codes to keep their platforms safe. Here are a couple ways platforms can approach the issue:

• Companies can use advanced content filtering algorithms to detect patterns of emoji usages that might indicate attempts to hide inappropriate or illegal content. This can involve analysing the frequency and context of emoji use.

• Companies can employ natural language processing algorithms that analyse the context in which emojis are used.

• Advanced security systems can employ steganalysis techniques to detect hidden messages or patterns.

• Regular monitoring of online communities can help identify trends and emoji codes.

OR

Online platforms & moderation companies can get in touch with us at Orthus.AI to discuss the use of our content review search engine, which can assist you in finding harmful emojis on your platform, immediately.