10-year-old boy started petition over Apple's 'horrible, insulting' nerd emoji
A 10-year-old boy from England has launched a petition urging the multinational technology giant Apple to modify its "horrible" glasses emoji.
This came after Teddy Cottle noticed the "offending" emoji when texting his cousin, prompting him to act. He shared his concerns with Lisa Baillie, one of his teachers, who then helped him launch an online and school-wide petition, urging Apple to reconsider and modify its practices.
According to BBC News, Teddy thinks that the emoji conveys the incorrect idea of individuals who wear glasses because of its noticeable front teeth. Wearing glasses himself, Teddy altered the emoji, replacing the grin with a small smile.
"We want to change this - Apple is making it absolutely horrible for people wearing glasses," he told BBC News, emphasizing the concern that the current emoji might perpetuate the stereotype that glasses-wearers are nerdy.
He continued, "It's making me feel sad and upset, and if I find it offensive there'll be thousands of people around the world that find it offensive too."
In his petition titled "No Nerd Emoji!", Teddy expresses his sentiments towards the emoji, worrying that "people who are getting glasses for the first time will think they are going to look like rabbits or rats."
"I have put together this petition as I am upset and angry by the Nerd Emoji," he began.
He continued, "I think the nerd emoji is offensive and insulting to all those people in the world who wear glasses. I think people who wear glasses are cool and I am worried that people who are getting glasses for the first time will think they are going to look like rabbits or rats."
He concluded his petition by urging the tech giant to rename the emoji to "Genius emoji" and modify its design, proposals that he also outlined in the online petition.
Teddy is hopeful that the tech giant will adopt his redesigned "genius emoji," stating that he would "feel amazing and excited" if the company decides to implement his suggested changes.
"It's got thin lenses and thin frames... and then it's got a little smiley face instead of the horrible rabbit teeth," he explained to BBC.
"I like wearing glasses because they make me see a lot better, and they look good and stylish," he added.
BBC contacted Apple for comment. As of writing, the petition has garnered 1971 signatures.