Apple replaces pistol emoji with water gun
Apple is replacing its pistol emoji with a water gun emoji. The change will come to Apple devices this fall when the company releases it's new iOS 10 operating system in the fall.
The company is making this change as concern over gun control is growing across the world. With the change, a bright colored water gun will replace the icon of the weapon.
The pistol emoji has caused legal troubles for teens using the emoji on social media in threatening ways.
An organization called New Yorkers Against Gun Violence launched the campaign #DisarmTheiPhone to get Apple to remove the pistol emojis and "take a stand for stricter gun accessibility in America."
But not everyone is happy about the change:
PEOPLE ARE WANTING APPLE TO GET RID OF THE PISTOL EMOJI ?! #disarmtheiphone ?
This is the most ignorant thing I've ever heard.
🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🖕🏻😊— Sarah Brock (@Searbearr55) August 2, 2016
This is a joke and really shouldnt be a thing. This is just like having a "safe space" at college. Dont be so naive America #disarmtheiphone
— Brian Bowling (@BestCoastBrian) August 2, 2016
Retweet this to piss off a liberal! #disarmtheiphone
🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫— 𝕬𝖒𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖓 𝕯𝖆𝖉 🇺🇸 ⚔ ☠ (@Americandad_) August 2, 2016
Apple is also releasing over a hundred redesigned emojis, featuring more gender options. The new emojis include a rainbow flag, families with one parent, and women and people of color doing activities such as lifting, running, swimming, and surfing.
In a statement, the company says, it is working with the Unicode Consortium to make sure "popular emoji characters reflect the diversity of people everywhere," but it did not address the changes to the gun emoji.
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