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The 3 Emojis Singles Hate The Most On Dating Apps
Emojis seem to be *everywhere* these days, from conversations between friends in texts and Facebook messages to conversations with strangers on dating sites and apps. And why not, right? They’re cute, informative, and if you’re short on time, they can do the talking for you, so to speak. In fact, some people write their entire dating profile using emoji icons, and then proceed to message you in emoji-speak, too. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that people have their favorite — and least favorite — emojis on dating apps. Dating platform PlentyOfFish (POF) wanted to find out, too, and did so in their 2018 Conversation Nation study. They surveyed 2,000 singles across the U.S. to get the DL on the top three emojis that daters don’t like.
“The use of emojis in dating conversations can certainly benefit singles,” Shannon Smith, dating expert at Plenty of Fish, tells Bustle. “At their best, emojis offer a fun, new way to communicate. The right emoji at the right time can act as a conversation-starter, punctuate a good story, or just deliver a good laugh.”
When it comes to online dating and that initial message you send somebody, eight percent of respondents believe that sending an emoji message will get you a reply. And when it comes to how to communicate without words — online, via text, and in-app with potential dates — singles fessed up to that, too. Although doing so through photos/screenshots was the most popular, at 38 percent, the next most popular way to communicate was — yep — through emojis: Thirty-two percent of respondents are a fan, beating out other non-written forms of communication, such as memes (13 percent), gifs (12 percent), and Bitmojis (five percent). TBH, can you blame them?!
Without further ado, here are the top three emojis that daters don’t like, POF’s study found — so emoji-send with caution.
1Eggplant
Yep, the eggplant emoji came in first place as the least liked — 75 percent of respondents thought so, at least. While some people may think an eggplant is just an eggplant, others associate the emoji with a penis, not just an innocent vegetable minding its own business.
2Peach
The peach emoji came in second place, with 49 percent of respondents not being a fan. People associate the peach emoji with a butt, so again, it may be a bit too much to send to a stranger.
3Fire
And in third place — fire. Thirty-two percent of respondents said fire was their least favorite emoji. Although fire’s meaning is pretty self-explanatory, perhaps people think it’s been overused, or maybe they’d rather hear they’re hot IRL versus in an online dating message.
“The study showed that the eggplant and peach emojis do not resonate with singles, and that is no surprise to me,” Smith says. “They’re often perceived as sexual, and could imply that you’re really not all that interested in getting to know someone." Of course, plenty of people are looking for something casual online. But regardless of what you're looking for, emojis with sexual conations can make anyone feel super awkward.
When in doubt, you can always revert to cuter emojis, like the heart eyes and wink faces, Smith says. “They are the emojis singles are most likely to reply to, are more flirty and cute than sexual,” she says.
A good rule of thumb about emojis is: If you don’t know what one means — or if there’s a chance the receiver could misinterpret the meaning — don’t send it. “We know that certain emojis can be confusing to people, and even offensive, so if you’re using them constantly in your conversations, you run the risk of having the true intention of your message get lost in translation,” Smith says. “I recommend treading carefully when you’re just getting to know someone you’re interested in dating. Take the time to get to know their preferred communication style, then go from there.”
If all else fails and you need some emoji inspo, you can always check out Emojipedia for new ideas, and maybe you’ll even start a new trend (that has nothing to do with eggplants). With the gazillions of emojis out there, the options are endless.
