Self-Representation on Twitter Using Emoji Skin Color Modifiers

Alexander Robertson; Walid Magdy; Sharon Goldwater

Self-Representation on Twitter Using Emoji Skin Color Modifiers

Alexander Robertson, Walid Magdy, Sharon Goldwater

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

Since 2015, it has been possible to modify certain emoji with a skin tone. The five different skin tones were introduced with the aim of representing more human diversity, but some commentators feared they might be used as a way to negatively represent other users/groups. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the use of skin tone modifiers on emoji on Twitter, showing that users with darker-skinned profile photos employ them more often than users with
lighter-skinned profile photos, and the vast majority of skin tone usage matches the color of a user’s profile photo—i.e., tones represent the self, rather than the other. In the few cases where users do use opposite-toned emoji, we find no evidence of negative racial sentiment. Thus, the introduction of skin tones seems to have met the goal of better representing human diversity.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the Twelfth International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM 2018)
Place of Publication	Palo Alto, California, US
Publisher	AAAI Press
Pages	680-683
Number of pages	4
Publication status	Published - 28 Jun 2018
Event	12th International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media - Stanford, United States Duration: 25 Jun 2018 → 28 Jun 2018 http://www.icwsm.org/2018/

Publication series

Name	International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media
Publisher	AAAI
ISSN (Electronic)	2334-0770

Conference

Conference	12th International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media
Abbreviated title	ICWSM-18
Country/Territory	United States
City	Stanford
Period	25/06/18 → 28/06/18
Internet address	http://www.icwsm.org/2018/

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icwsm18-skintoneAccepted author manuscript, 1.43 MB

Cite this

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title = "Self-Representation on Twitter Using Emoji Skin Color Modifiers",

abstract = "Since 2015, it has been possible to modify certain emoji with a skin tone. The five different skin tones were introduced with the aim of representing more human diversity, but some commentators feared they might be used as a way to negatively represent other users/groups. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the use of skin tone modifiers on emoji on Twitter, showing that users with darker-skinned profile photos employ them more often than users with lighter-skinned profile photos, and the vast majority of skin tone usage matches the color of a user{\textquoteright}s profile photo—i.e., tones represent the self, rather than the other. In the few cases where users do use opposite-toned emoji, we find no evidence of negative racial sentiment. Thus, the introduction of skin tones seems to have met the goal of better representing human diversity.",

author = "Alexander Robertson and Walid Magdy and Sharon Goldwater",

year = "2018",

month = jun,

day = "28",

language = "English",

series = "International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media",

publisher = "AAAI Press",

pages = "680--683",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the Twelfth International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM 2018)",

note = "12th International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, ICWSM-18 ; Conference date: 25-06-2018 Through 28-06-2018",

url = "http://www.icwsm.org/2018/",

}

Robertson, A, Magdy, W & Goldwater, S 2018, Self-Representation on Twitter Using Emoji Skin Color Modifiers. in Proceedings of the Twelfth International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM 2018). International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, AAAI Press, Palo Alto, California, US, pp. 680-683, 12th International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, Stanford, California, United States, 25/06/18. <https://www.aaai.org/ocs/index.php/ICWSM/ICWSM18/paper/view/17833/17080>

Self-Representation on Twitter Using Emoji Skin Color Modifiers. / Robertson, Alexander; Magdy, Walid ; Goldwater, Sharon.
Proceedings of the Twelfth International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM 2018). Palo Alto, California, US: AAAI Press, 2018. p. 680-683 (International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Self-Representation on Twitter Using Emoji Skin Color Modifiers

AU - Robertson, Alexander

AU - Magdy, Walid

AU - Goldwater, Sharon

PY - 2018/6/28

Y1 - 2018/6/28

N2 - Since 2015, it has been possible to modify certain emoji with a skin tone. The five different skin tones were introduced with the aim of representing more human diversity, but some commentators feared they might be used as a way to negatively represent other users/groups. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the use of skin tone modifiers on emoji on Twitter, showing that users with darker-skinned profile photos employ them more often than users with lighter-skinned profile photos, and the vast majority of skin tone usage matches the color of a user’s profile photo—i.e., tones represent the self, rather than the other. In the few cases where users do use opposite-toned emoji, we find no evidence of negative racial sentiment. Thus, the introduction of skin tones seems to have met the goal of better representing human diversity.

AB - Since 2015, it has been possible to modify certain emoji with a skin tone. The five different skin tones were introduced with the aim of representing more human diversity, but some commentators feared they might be used as a way to negatively represent other users/groups. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the use of skin tone modifiers on emoji on Twitter, showing that users with darker-skinned profile photos employ them more often than users with lighter-skinned profile photos, and the vast majority of skin tone usage matches the color of a user’s profile photo—i.e., tones represent the self, rather than the other. In the few cases where users do use opposite-toned emoji, we find no evidence of negative racial sentiment. Thus, the introduction of skin tones seems to have met the goal of better representing human diversity.

M3 - Conference contribution

T3 - International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media

SP - 680

EP - 683

BT - Proceedings of the Twelfth International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM 2018)

PB - AAAI Press

CY - Palo Alto, California, US

T2 - 12th International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media

Y2 - 25 June 2018 through 28 June 2018

ER -

Self-Representation on Twitter Using Emoji Skin Color Modifiers

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

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