Just like with previous iPhone bugs, hundreds of users have shared the “rainbow emoji text” on social media, leading some to test the theory on their friends. In a video recreating the bug, YouTube user EverythingApplePro explained the bug works by trying to create a rainbow flag emoji, which doesn’t exist in iOS. The text reportedly caused the phone’s touchscreen to freeze, eventually forcing it into a reboot that took around one minute to complete. According to several user reports, phones running iOS 10.1 or earlier which receive these characters in a single text will crash. The string of text said to cause problems for some users is made up of the white flag, a zero, and rainbow emoji. READ MORE: Apple will replace batteries on iPhone 6S smartphones that unexpectedly shut down Send this page to someone via email emailĪ single text message made up of several emoji is wreaking havoc on iPhone users once again, thanks to a bug which causes the phone to temporarily freeze and restart.Not only that, but how people can get away with passing something like this off as a mere joke, trying to totally discredit any negative intent that may have come with this emoji. This also goes to prove how quickly rumors, like that of how Apple allegedly created the emoji when they did not, can spread. It doesn’t seem such a glitch is fixable, but hopefully the use of hateful symbols will die down in time. It also serves as yet another example of how quickly information can spread through platforms on social media. It seems to be most of the usage of it is more-so from internet memes and gags than actual hate, although it is arguable if joking about such things is offensive or not. The emoji sparked quite a concerning outcry for a simple glitch in unicode software, but it is not the fault of any company. But does it merit all the outcry it’s getting? No, probably not.” Where is the outrage over that, glitch or not?”Īnother junior, Graham Jones, who has a bit of a different take, responds, “A majority of sources I’ve seen are saying it’s just a glitch, If I’m being entirely honest I don’t think it’s that bad, I do believe it’s a bit distasteful. What frustrates me further is that nobody is talking about the cross through the black man, the flag with the Star of David, or the Kaaba. It’s hard to not take everything offensively these days when your community has been marginalized in every way for decades. Regardless, I see why the LGBT community is in an outrage over this.
Love Lundy, a junior, comments, “I’ve been told that it’s a glitch. Essentially copy and pasting a cancellation symbol over any emoji, like the pride flag, will create the seemingly anti symbol. It is, in fact, a glitch and not an official Apple emoji however, that does not diminish the fact that it is offensive to copy and paste what would be deemed a hate symbol over the internet.Īt first, it was not apparent this was the case, but it is actually a unicode glitch, as several experts online have already explained.
The initial reaction on social media was due to the public believing it was a new or official emoji.
The emoji in question immediately went viral on a Twitter post. Understandably, it has garnered a fair bit of outrage from members of the LGBT community, as well as its allies. An anti-gay flag emoji has been circulating on Twitter and Instagram for a few days now.