The "eggplant" and "peach" emojis that are popularly exchanged to symbolise male genitalia and buttocks in a sexual connotation have made it to the list of banned emoticons on Facebook, as well as its photo-messaging app Instagram.
The move, which is aimed at curbing "sexual solicitation" on social media platforms, has stimulated hilarious reactions from netizens on Twitter, who also questioned the social networking giant about its move to ban religious, racist, and politically inappropriate content from its apps.
Facebook and Instagram banning 'sexual' emoji's such as the aubergine and peach shows how messed up us lots are. 🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧🤧
— Harjeet (@hbabyyspam) October 30, 2019
Oh, dear - it's a slippery slope, clearly. How will civilized folk ever be able to discuss yellow-cling peaches in polite society? pic.twitter.com/sWukOHxhw1
— 𝓐𝓷𝓽𝓸𝓷 𝓑𝓵𝓪𝓴𝓮 🌎 🆘 (@Antonblakeactor) October 30, 2019
Sexual use of the #eggplant & #peach #emojis are now #banned on Facebook & Instagram.
— Darryn (@darrynsfood) October 30, 2019
Actually great news for the banana, carrot, hotdog, taco, & donut emoji to finally make their debut.
You know how long these guys have been waiting in the wings for their time to shine?
Just reminding that Facebook has said they won't remove hate speech posted by politicians https://t.co/Fxv3O65aCh
— Adrija Bose (@adrijabose) October 30, 2019
The fact that my android won't be able to make a funny sexual joke with this emoji saddens me A LOT https://t.co/9g6amxYQ24
— that's the spirit정국💜 (@parkhaengjin) October 30, 2019
According to the new rules concerning the online code of conduct, Facebook and Instagram prohibit users from posting sexually explicit content on their profiles, as well as from indulging in sexually inappropriate chats.
Facebook's decision comes even though numerous artists from all over the world have participated in protests, demanding the allowance of "artistic nudity" on the major social networking platforms.
Earlier, in June, nearly 100 people stripped in front of Facebook's New York headquarters, holding pictures of nipples in their hands and demanding that the social media giant let them depict nudity in their artwork on the platform. The campaign was outlandishly titled #WeTheNipple.
“The policies pose ‘a philosophical question about women’s bodies and shame around nudity and sexuality... this is why we have 25 men in Alabama making decisions about women’s bodies’” - Dawn Robertson
— Grab Them By The Ballot (@GrabThemBallot) June 19, 2019
Check out this article on #WeTheNipple art action https://t.co/AI44oV7RCu
There I am! 😂 #wethenipple pic.twitter.com/M63snJtBgz
— The Baba-dyke 😱 (@lo_down_woman) June 2, 2019
Another protest in June saw international porn artists gathering outside Instagram's Silicon Valley headquarters, describing Facebook's nudity censorship rules and those of its family of apps "vague, inconsistent and threatening to their livelihood".
