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Apple Replaces The Pistol Emoji With A Water Gun (cnn.com) 246

Apple has a announced a number of new emoji changes on Monday, but the most controversial new change is that the pistol emoji will be replaced with a green water gun emoji in the company's upcoming iOS 10 operating system: The water gun swap is not Apple's first foray into cartoon gun control. Earlier this year the governing body in charge of emojis nixed a proposed rifle emoji. It was one of a number of possible new additions, but Unicode Consortium members Apple and Microsoft argued against the Olympics-inspired gun, according to Buzzfeed. Last year, an organization called New Yorkers Against Gun Violence started a campaign to get Apple to replace its version of the pistol emoji. It launched a site, disarmtheiphone.com, and sent an open letter to remove the firearm emoji "as a symbolic gesture to limit gun accessibility." As it stands, Microsoft is the only major software company to use a toy gun emoji instead of a pistol emoji in Windows -- Google, Samsung, Facebook and Twitter all use realistic pistol emojis. Apple's iOS 10 will be released in fall, but you can download the iOS 10 public beta to be one of the first to wield the toy gun emoji.
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Apple Replaces The Pistol Emoji With A Water Gun

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  • by oic0 ( 1864384 ) on Monday August 01, 2016 @06:25PM (#52624895)
    Honestly, what did you guys expect? Apple is an image based company and the image they portray is "hip". Currently in the largest population centers its hip to be super liberal.
    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward

      ..until someone realizes that is insensitive in a state facing a drought. Maybe a foam dart gun would be better.

    • by amiga3D ( 567632 ) on Monday August 01, 2016 @06:38PM (#52624967)

      So grateful to not be hip. It seems hip is synonymous with stupid.

      • Then you'll be glad to know you're so unhip, it's a wonder your bum doesn't fall off.

        Been wanting to use that somewhere in this thread since I read the first post in it.
      • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        Seems like being conservative is being rather over-sensitive about everything. It's an emoji, a think you are supposed to hate anyway because those damn kids and their phones, and Apple took a position you disagree with. No need to get all indignant about it.

    • by zlives ( 2009072 )

      i for one won't be satisfied until they can force correct all mentions of inappropriate things, typed or otherwise.

    • However there is being liberal than there is being crazy liberal.
      The type of liberal where any idea that falls under the conservative category must be stopped.
      Changing from a real gun to a water gun changes the meaning of the message. What if Apple changed the word "Samsung" to "Cheap 3rd party ripoff".
      People are going to have different opinions and to many people a gun isn't an image of violence. But a tool and a symbol of freedom. To change that image to a water pistol is infringing on free speech.

      I am n

      • However there is being liberal than there is being crazy liberal.

        The type of liberal where any idea that falls under the conservative category must be stopped.

        Changing from a real gun to a water gun changes the meaning of the message.

        Okay - you are correct, but also missing one important point. Liability. It isn't that difficult to get shot and killed here, whether it is from stand your ground laws, or traffic stops. Or from just pissing someone off. So in this land of litigation, it is well within the possibility that someone might see a pistol emoticon, decide they are under threat from the sender, and dispatch them with extreme prejudice.

        And while a court case is likely to exonerate the killer, the resulting civil suits might find

    • Honestly, what did you guys expect? Apple is an image based company and the image they portray is "hip". Currently in the largest population centers its hip to be super liberal.

      Yeah, they're taking a bold stance against guns, except when guns make them money [apple.com].

      • Honestly, what did you guys expect? Apple is an image based company and the image they portray is "hip". Currently in the largest population centers its hip to be super liberal.

        Yeah, they're taking a bold stance against guns, except when guns make them money [apple.com].

        Pssst..... everyone, it isn't "libtards against guns" - its liability. Sweet Jeebuz in a smartcar, when an emoticon becomes a second amendment flashpoint, perhaps it isn't the "libtards" that have a really big problem.

  • by ArtemaOne ( 1300025 ) on Monday August 01, 2016 @06:29PM (#52624917)
    Having an emoji swap doesn't seem to be something that really matters in my life. I have quite a few rifles and handguns, but I don't know that I would have ever even looked for that emoji if it made it on to my phone. Seems more like something a teenager would use to look cool or something.
    • I'm in the same boat. I wasn't planning on looking for it either until I sent the story to my friend and put the gun emoji to the right of an eye roll emoji.
    • It is simply that most geeks are going to McGyver a bomb if they need to defend themselves. Face it, now that cops are sendin in robot explosives, gun are inadequate
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • Sad (Score:5, Insightful)

    by markdavis ( 642305 ) on Monday August 01, 2016 @06:34PM (#52624935)

    >"Last year, an organization called New Yorkers Against Gun Violence started a campaign to get Apple to replace its version of the pistol emoji."

    This is really just so sad.

    Oh, there is an "explosion" emoji on my Android- I suppose that should go. And the bomb one too- that is far scarier than a gun. And the one of fire- fire is dangerous and bad. Better throw in the lighting one. Oops, just found one of a knife- that is a no-no. Snakes are scary, make that one a toy snake, somehow.... well, still scary, just make it go away. Wow, there is a syringe- oops, that could be drugs, that should go....

    • We need a campaign to replace the apple emoji. Someone could choke an an apple. Also apple cider contributes to alcoholism.
    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      To be fair though, kids murdering each other with bombs isn't really a thing. Shooting up their school/college with a gun is though. Aside from anything else, sending someone a gun emoji along with an angry message could be open to misinterpretation...

      Could be interesting when someone with an iPhone sends a water pistol and the recipient see a handgun on their screen.

  • by SumDog ( 466607 ) on Monday August 01, 2016 @06:36PM (#52624959) Homepage Journal

    There are people, who are making money, in non-profits and for-profit companies, to advocate/lobby this, implement this .. listen to this. ...

    I'm done. Why are we not on Mars yet? We need a colony on there like thirty years ago. If we took half the effort all the people involved put into crap like this emoji bullshit, who knows .. maybe we'd have fully functional closed oxygen producing ecosystems by now? Technology to make sealed domes and keep out terrible solar radiation? Mars transport ships that can air-break and land?

    I'd be the first to volunteer. Risking death on the journey to a new world would be better than having to read this bullshit every fucking day.

    • Why are we not on Mars yet?

      Because Mars doesn't currently have an open carry law.

      • There is no law banning either open or concealed carry on Mars. In the absence of laws, everything is allowed.

        • There are treaties against both, and nations are responsible for their citizens' actions under the treaty, whether state sponsored or not.

    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      I don't think a few emails and a web site will get us to Mars. Are you really comparing lobbying for changing a tiny graphic to the effort needed to put a human on Mars?

  • by vossman77 ( 300689 ) on Monday August 01, 2016 @06:38PM (#52624971) Homepage

    Maybe I am old, but did people fight about the cartoons depicted in wingdings. Because as far as I am interested, it is a stupid font on my computer that has no use to me.

  • I need my safeplace! SOMEONE TAKE ME TO MY SAFEPLACE!

    In all seriousness, I sincerely hope future historians look back on this time with a sense of amusement and incredulity.

    • by AK Marc ( 707885 )

      In all seriousness, I sincerely hope future historians look back on this time with a sense of amusement and incredulity.

      Like we make fun of the Spanish Inquisition? Nobody expects a Trump Presidency.

  • sooo.... are they going to replace all apple employees with dummies, next? oh wait....

  • by gavron ( 1300111 ) on Monday August 01, 2016 @06:45PM (#52625013)

    In 1984 Orwell wrote of Newspeak, a language and culture designed to wipe out concepts that were unpopular.

    Apple can remove gun emojis all day long. All that will mean is people's messages to each other won't contain gun emojis.

    It won't change people being killed daily by rogue cops, crazy lunatics, terrorists, or others.

    If Apple wanted to REALLY make a change in violence involving firearms (not to be confused with "gun violence" since guns by themselves aren't violent...) they should take some of their hundreds of BILLIONS of dollars and dedicate it to help stop crazy people from killing other crazy people.

    Note 1: OJ Simpson did not kill Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman with a firearm. He used a kitchen knife -- Nicole's kitchen knife.
    Note 2: The French suicide bomber killed lots of people with his vehicle. Vehicles are available to everyone.
    Note 3: The Newtown school shooting was done by a guy who broke in and stole his mother's weapon (then killed her with it). He was not a "gun owner".

    But yes, do let's remove the emoji. I'm sure we'll never see or hear guns discussed on the news, in the media, on FB, and everywhere else.
    Because emojis or not, ISIS creates a new death every 84 hours. I'm sure the lack of emojis won't change that. http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/31/... [cnn.com]

    E

    • The Newtown school shooting was done by a guy who broke in and stole his mother's weapon (then killed her with it). He was not a "gun owner".

      His mother was a "gun owner" once.

      Once...

    • by AK Marc ( 707885 )

      The Newtown school shooting was done by a guy who broke in and stole his mother's weapon (then killed her with it). He was not a "gun owner".

      He was provided access to a gun, and he legally acquired it, borrowing a gun from a family member, then going on a killing spree. The gun nuts make it sound like it was a home invasion of a stranger. The facts support it being a peaceful visit, until he took the gun he was given legal access to and shot his mother.

      Because emojis or not, ISIS creates a new death every 84 hours.

      One death every 84 hours is about the rate which US cops shoot an unarmed person. It's hard to get numbers, but in 2015, cops shot one person every 8 hours. Separating them into innocent and g

      • "he legally acquired it, borrowing a gun from a family member" Holy hell dude. He killed her and stole it. What is wrong with you?
        • by AK Marc ( 707885 )
          How did he kill her with it before he acquired it?

          No, the timeline is that he was in his house, with access to firearms. Legally acquired one, and then shot his, probably sleeping, mother. He didn't "steal" it. It was unsecured in his home. Do you steal a cup from your wife every time you make coffee? No, objects in the family home are accessible to all, and not a crime to touch.

          Adam Lanza broke no firearms laws in acuiring the firearms he went on the spree with.

          Also note the OP's "broke in" phrasin
          • Re:wtf (Score:4, Informative)

            by ArtemaOne ( 1300025 ) on Tuesday August 02, 2016 @06:25AM (#52627141)
            You're just lying. Outright lying.
            • by AK Marc ( 707885 )
              Then prove it. What statement was a lie? What is the truth? The "lie" is that I'm giving a truth you don't want to hear. Nothing more.
          • Just, no. I have not given my children permission to use my car -- in fact, it's prohibited in all cases except when I expressly allow it for a specific purpose and duration. Anything else is theft, and yes, I could press charges if I wanted to. It sounds like you're either a self-entitled child, or a very irresponsible adult.

      • The Newtown school shooting was done by a guy who broke in and stole his mother's weapon (then killed her with it). He was not a "gun owner".

        He was provided access to a gun, and he legally acquired it, borrowing a gun from a family member, then going on a killing spree. The gun nuts make it sound like it was a home invasion of a stranger. The facts support it being a peaceful visit, until he took the gun he was given legal access to and shot his mother.

        Heck, let's pretend it was a home invasion of a stranger - she and all the other people were killed because she owned a gun that was easy to turn against her.

        Also, the argument that everything was fine until the gun became "illegal" is disingenuous because it is so damn easy to turn a legal gun illegal, not to mention that the vast majority of illegal guns were in fact legal until such a simple turn occurred. Anyway, I'm still waiting for the explanation when exactly the gun used in this case became illega

      • the spin is strong with you here. he stole the gun from his mother, she didnt give it to him. there was nothing legal about that and only an utter idiot would see what happened as legal
    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      I doubt Apple expect this to prevent crime directly. More obviously and more likely, they are making a statement that they support more restrictions on guns and don't wish to include them in their operating system.

      The more fascinating story here is how butthurt a lot of people are about this. Often they are the same people who hate emoji anyway. I mean, just look at how much you read into it that supported by anything in TFA or any statement made by Apple. I guess the summary kind of hinted at it, but you d

  • by zamboni1138 ( 308944 ) on Monday August 01, 2016 @06:54PM (#52625049)

    Shouldn't it have changed to a large black early 80's walkie talkie?

  • by cfalcon ( 779563 ) on Monday August 01, 2016 @07:06PM (#52625107)

    If you can't win, censor.

    If you don't like reality, do what you can to disrupt the language.

    If people lack the ability to communicate an idea, you've already won.

    If emojis are meant to be speech, then this is ludicrous. If they are not, then this is petty and dumb. There's no excuse for this kind of shit.

  • by RightwingNutjob ( 1302813 ) on Monday August 01, 2016 @07:35PM (#52625237)
    Grow the fuck up.

    Sincerely,
    Every normal, well-adjusted, person with a mental age in the double digits.
  • 3-letter-agents bear walkie-talkies.

  • They changed the pistol to a water gun, and someone will still complain. Mark my words.

  • Pop tart (Score:2, Informative)

    by ichthus ( 72442 )
    They should have replaced it with a pop tart, bite-sculpted into the form of a pistol.
  • for the Bill Clinton and blue dress jokes.

  • to call it a twater-gun?
  • OK, so this is news-worthy? As opposed to about a million items in technology and science that have more impact on our daily lives? Shall I post something about how I have grown a pumpkin in my garden by means of an amazing collection of technology called "garden tools"? It's bound to reverberate through the news media, no doubt about it.

  • A: You threatened me with death! (Pulls out his Samsung phone)
    B: No, I didn't (Pulls out his ihphone)

  • If the image on the article is anything to go by, they're also pointing it in the other direction. That's going to screw up the meaning of my threatening emoji strings in two ways!

  • Sorry for the language, but this is some weak-ass bullshit.
  • Now how the hell am I supposed to emoji the lyrics to paper planes?!?

    "All I wanna do is [squirt] [squirt] [squirt] [squirt] and a $$" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

  • "the most controversial new change is that the pistol emoji will be replaced with a green water gun emoji"

    In the US maybe, but no one else on the planet gives a crap.

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