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.
This recent line of research has also been explored in REF who argue, for example, that users with darker-skinned profile photos employ skin modifiers more often than users with lighterskinned profile photos, and that the vast majority of skin tone usage matches the color of a user's profile photo.
Self-Representation on Twitter Using Emoji Skin Color Modifiers
Robertson A., W. Magdy, S. Goldwater. Self-Representation on Twitter Using Emoji Skin Color Modifiers. ICWSM 2018
Computer Science