Tabloids Say The Thumbs-Up Emoji Is 'Canceled,' But Many Reply With One Big 'Come On, Now'

Tabloid newspapers struck gold when they discovered a Redditor who was not a fan of the thumbs-up emoji, long seen as a means to communicate "I approve of this message."

"For younger people, the thumbs-up emoji is used to be really passive-aggressive," wrote a Redditor in /r/Adulting. "It’s super rude if someone just sends you a thumbs up."

This was enough for tabloids The Daily Mail and the New York Post to post alarming articles claiming that the vile Gen Z was canceling the humble "thumbs-up" emoji, while others like a heart or "OK" were on thin ice.

Gen-Zers say they feel attacked whenever they see a 'passive aggressive' thumbs-up emoji

+ A 24-year-old on Reddit summed up the Gen-Z argument, saying it is best 'never used in any situation' as it is 'hurtful' pic.twitter.com/Jh7xiK0zC8

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) October 12, 2022

While it's easy to see why the tabloids would want to rile up readers with stories about the dang teens, let's take a look at the actual Reddit posts from which they've based their sensational stories.

Ground zero for the would-be Emojigate is a ten-month old post from Reddit's /r/adulting that garnered a humble 54 points. There, a user opened a thread expressing that they didn't employ the thumbs-up emoji as much as their colleagues.

"I think it's normal for us to 'thumbs up' messages, but I still feel like it's such an unsettling response. Does anyone else feel this way?" they wrote.

Further down the thread, another Redditor argues that the thumbs-up emoji can be seen as a sarcastic response, the emoji equivalent of a "sure thing, idiot."

"The general consensus I see with all my friends and all over the internet is that it’s way rude," they wrote. "There are memes and posts about it. You see people reply to dumb comments with the emoji, etc. it’s super savage. Definitely had to reprogram my gut reaction to seeing the thumbs-up react or reply from coworkers."

Of note, moderators have been deleting comments from the thread over the past 24 hours that may have had more inflammatory opinions on the humble "thumbs-up," but comments quoted by both the Post and Daily Mail still exist in the original thread. However, most of the remaining comments not cherrypicked by the tabloids seem to say the OP is overreacting and to not worry so much about their emoji usage. Whatever the case, the thread hardly seems like the hub of angry Zoomers getting ready to fire the Cancel Cannon at the thumbs-up emoji that the tabloids (particularly the Post) painted it as.

While the stories spread on Twitter, few seemed to buy what the tabloids were selling, though some did admit to sending the occasional sarcastic thumbs up.

obviously a fake story however i will for sure admit to using the thumbs up emoji in a very hostile manner https://t.co/W9VcZY2VAq

— Brandy Jensen (@BrandyLJensen) October 13, 2022

Young people do not give a shit about a thumbs up emoji.

Idk why media people think that’s at the front of our minds but we just want healthcare and to be able to make decisions about our own bodies.

— Olivia Julianna 🗳 (@0liviajulianna) October 13, 2022

are the Gen Z who get offended at a thumbs up in the room with us right now or are news outlets once again fabricating more bullshit “gen z support cancel culture and are triggered at everything” fuel for the alt right reactionaries that believe everything? you take a guess https://t.co/NJzjy27VMg

— randi ☆ (@ultralovedeluxe) October 13, 2022

So, for the older ones among us, don't be afraid you're somehow offending the youth with the thumbs-up emoji. It appears that that's merely a line the tabloids are pushing to sow generational conflict and fuel outrage clicks.