WHEN AN EMOJI IS MORE THAN A GRAPHIC

Our clients experience abuse in many different ways. Psychological, emotional, financial, verbal, physical... the list goes on. Any way the abuser can communicate with them to gain power and control, including the use of emojis or emoticons in texts and other social media messaging.

Recently Professor Leslie Y. Garfield Tenzer, and 2022 JD degree candidate Ashley Cangro, both from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, authored An Emoji Legal Dictionary, published by the University of Pittsburgh Law Review Online.

The article cites that in 2020, 132 cases referenced emojis, representing a 25% increase versus 2019. It seems that courts are starting to look at their use and make findings within the contexts of situations. Included in the article is a reference list of 39 emoji/emoticon combinations along with the courts' interpretations and its case citation.

Read the full article HERE.