Crying face emoji becomes world's most popular symbol

Data from Google, reported by The New York Times, reveals that the loudly crying face emoji has become the most popular emoji globally. Based on an analysis of 665 million emoji uses on the Gboard keyboard, the crying face is frequently used by Generation Z to express a wide range of emotions beyond sadness, including hilarity, being moved, or feeling awkward.

The laughing face with tears of joy, once a dominant symbol of internet joy, has seen a decline in popularity, particularly among younger users who may view it as outdated. This shift highlights a generational divide in digital communication. While older users may still favor traditional laughing emojis, younger demographics often prefer symbols like the skull to signify laughing to death, or the Moai statue to express seriousness or surprise.

Other emerging trends include the use of the wilting rose instead of a broken heart and the rising popularity of newer emojis, such as the face with bags under eyes to signal fatigue or the distorted face to convey embarrassment and fear.