WhatsApp has come up with a major update for Android which introduces you with many new features.
Some of the emoticons have now gone for a skin tone make-over and are available in varied colours.
Image courtesy: the guardian.com
But is it some fairness meter that we are given to choose from?
Image courtesy: twitter.com
If I have to say that ‘I really like it’ a thumbs-up emoji is enough. Why do I have to bother about which colour my thumb should look! A black thumb serves the purpose as much as a yellow thumb. Why do we need to differentiate?
Does it mean that if you are an American and happy you should ideally pick the yellow/white happy face? A jolly Indian would pick the pale-looking middle one in the fairness meter, and an equally happy African would go for the dark one?
Image courtesy: techentice.com
We wonder how do these ‘coloured’ emojis stand for racial inclusion?
Previously, their two-skin tone idea—the yellow and the white emojis—drew flak as it appeared to be racist gesture. The recent update got no better it seems, with people criticizing it for the racist mien. Is it racially diverse or does it actually promote racism?
However, amid this debate what catches our attention is this:
Image courtesy: WhatsApp
Want to tell that pesky friend of yours that ‘I don’t care a hoot’? The middle-finger would sum it up. The Spock-inspired Vulcan salute is something that makes it really cool:
Image courtesy: twitter.com
Along with these, Custom Notifications for individual contact or groups is a new feature. Now, you also have the option to mark chats as read or unread. The update is available via Google Play Store.
