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These emojis make you look 'old' to Gen Z, according to new poll

The thumbs up emoji and red heart emoji have been outlawed by Gen Z (Getty)
The thumbs up emoji and red heart emoji have been outlawed by Gen Z (Getty)

First, Gen Z outlawed side partings and skinny jeans, now they’re turning their noses up at certain emojis too.

While we already know that the laugh-cry emoji is a sure sign that we are old, new research has revealed that using the thumbs up, red heart and the ok hand make you look ‘old’ too.

Read more: Signs you're 'old' according to Gen Z - from side parts to skinny jeans and laugh-cry emojis

The research was conducted by Perspectus Global who surveyed 2,000 16 to 29-year-olds and found that people send an impressive 76 emojis per week.

Other emojis deemed uncool included the check emoji, the poo emoji, the monkey with hands over face emoji and the clapping hands emoji.

Top 10 emojis that make you look ‘old’

  1. Thumbs up 👍

  2. Red heart ❤️ ️️

  3. Ok hand 👌

  4. Check mark ✔️

  5. Poo 💩

  6. Loudly Crying Face 😭

  7. Monkey eye cover 🙈

  8. Clapping hands 👏

  9. Kiss mark 💋

  10. Grimacing Face 😬

The poll found that 78% of us admit we have innocently used an emoji before finding it out had a different meaning.

A quarter of people (22%) also use multiple emojis in every message they send to “make a text clearer”.

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“With the average Briton sending 76 emojis a week, across multiple platforms, it’s clear that these symbols are now a vital part of our daily communication - on both a personal and professional level,” Evie Porter of Perspectus Global said in a statement.

“Yet this research indicates the importance of assessing which ones you use. Unless you want to be seen as old fashioned, it seems wise to avoid the thumbs up symbol.”

Read more: When can I travel between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

The research also indicated that use of emojis is a “very important” tool for communication, with 57% of respondents claiming that an emoji can say a thousand words.

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