Self-Representation on Twitter Using Emoji Skin Color Modifiers

TL;DR

This study analyzes emoji skin tone modifiers on Twitter, revealing they are mainly used to represent oneself and do not convey negative racial sentiment, supporting their role in enhancing diversity representation.

Contribution

It provides the first quantitative analysis showing skin tone emoji are primarily used for self-representation without negative racial implications.

Findings

Users with darker profile photos use skin tones more often.

Most skin tone usage matches the user's profile photo color.

No evidence of negative racial sentiment in opposite-tone emoji use.

Abstract

Since 2015, it has been possible to modify certain emoji with a skin tone. The five different skin tones were introduced with the aim of representing more human diversity, but some commentators feared they might be used as a way to negatively represent other users/groups. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the use of skin tone modifiers on emoji on Twitter, showing that users with darker-skinned profile photos employ them more often than users with lighter-skinned profile photos, and the vast majority of skin tone usage matches the color of a user's profile photo - i.e., tones represent the self, rather than the other. In the few cases where users do use opposite-toned emoji, we find no evidence of negative racial sentiment. Thus, the introduction of skin tones seems to have met the goal of better representing human diversity.