Facebook has listened to the thousands of dismayed users who persuaded the website to remove the emoticon option: “feeling fat.”
The online outcry began as a petition in April 2013, on the website Change.org. Since then the petition has collected over 16,000 signatures regarding the emoticon.
Image credit: Screenshot
The petition stated that “fat is not a feeling” and that the emoticon “promoted a negative body image”:
“When Facebook users set their status to “feeling fat,” they are making fun of people who consider themselves to be overweight, which can include many people with eating disorders. That is not ok. Join me in asking Facebook to remove the “fat” emoji from their status options.”
“Fat is not a feeling. Fat is a natural part of our bodies, no matter their weight. And all bodies deserve to be respected and cared for.”
“Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the world right now. With 890 million users each day, it has the power to influence how we talk to each other about our bodies. I dream that one day the platform will actively encourage body positivity and self-esteem among its users, but for now, all I ask is that it stop endorsing self-destructive thoughts through seemingly harmless emojis.”
Many petitioners were overjoyed to discover that their movement had resulted in a direct change. However, others on social media found themselves both confused, and unnerved, by the update:
Perhaps you should worry about the horrible illnesses linked with obesity more than a harmless Facebook 'emoticon'. http://t.co/uc6YnfGbji
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) March 9, 2015
Why is everyone so politically correct now. “@people: "Fat is not a feeling" http://t.co/tI08fH0Sg1 pic.twitter.com/ioK0m48u0V”
— meghan hoffman (@meghoff11) March 7, 2015
Some users gave their own suggestions for replacements:
Ok so replace "feeling fat" with "feeling like a busted can of biscuits" @Facebook @MegynKelly
— IrritatedWoman™ (@irritatedwoman) March 10, 2015
While other users had no idea this option even existed:
I had this option the whole time?!? RT @HuffingtonPost A Facebook petition to remove the "feeling fat" status update. http://t.co/K26VRWb1pk
— Dan Speerin (@danspeerin) March 7, 2015
Facebook has since changed the “Feeling fat” option to “Feeling stuffed.”
The post Facebook Gets Rid of This ‘Emoticon’ After Users Complain It Promotes a ‘Negative Body Image’ appeared first on Independent Journal.