The Australian Federal Police has released a list of emojis it says have a hidden meaning and since when did octopus mean “cuddles”?
The AFP’s Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation and other child online safety groups compiled the list on Thursday. They say it aims to help parents clock moments when their children are being exploited and groomed by sexual predators.
On paper that’s perfectly fine. But the content of the list has us violently keyboard smashing.
Let’s get into it.
Some of these emojis’ hidden meanings are ones you most likely know and use in your day to day.
The peach emoji means “bottom” in all interpretations of the word. The devil emoji is used when you feel frisky or naughty.
Corn is used as a substitute for the word porn. And the saliva dripping from your mouth emoji is used often as a response to receiving a tasty nude.
But some of the other emoji meanings are news to me.
The AFP reckon that the octopus emoji refers to cuddling. The hammer apparently means “sexual activity”. The red hot chilli one is used for “inappropriate or risqué content”.
Huh? Say what? Back in my day, we used the sweating face or a triple set of the sweat emoji to react to a spicy pic.
The ACCCE says it regularly saw instances where child sex offenders used the meanings behind the emojis above to groom children.
“Predators have schooled themselves in the language of emojis, emoticons and acronyms in order to groom their victims and the AFP is urging all parents and carers to familiarise themselves with this glossary,” AFP ACCCE Commander Hilda Sirec said via The Courier Mail.
“Some terms, slang or emojis may seem to be innocent symbols, however, they may signal a highly-sexualised conversation.”
The Courier Mail also shared a list of sexually implied internet terms and acronyms that it says child sex offenders have co-opted to exploit minors.
It notes Rule 34 which is the age old internet idea of if you can think it, someone has probably made something pornographic of it. It also references “POV”, calling someone a snack, telling someone you’re down to smash and are down in the DMs.
If you need me, I’ll be sitting here wondering what other emojis have hidden meanings. Is the bee a gun? Much to think about.
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