Apple has recently addressed a bug in its emoji keyboard that suggested the Palestinian flag emoji when users searched for the word 'Jerusalem.' The bug was fixed with the latest beta software release of iOS 17.5, following user complaints on social media.
The bug, which upset some users, was discovered after Apple's previous update on March 21. In response to the issue, Apple clarified that it was a mistake and not intentionally coded into the keyboard.
One user, who identified as Jewish, pointed out that other cities do not trigger flag emojis when entered into the search box. Apple's machine-learning technology may have influenced the suggested emoji based on analyzing user texts.
The historical and territorial complexities of Jerusalem add to the sensitivity of the situation. Israel captured East Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it as part of its capital, a move not recognized by much of the international community. The US recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017, further fueling tensions.
Given the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the suggestion of a Palestinian flag emoji for the search term 'Jerusalem' exacerbated tensions in an already contentious dispute.
