The laughing emoji on Facebook, officially called the “Face with Tears of Joy” emoji, is one of the most popularly used emojis on the social media platform. It is represented by a yellow face with a big grin, scrunched eyes, and tears streaming down its face, suggesting that it is laughing hysterically or uncontrollably. This emoji conveys a range of positive emotions including joy, excitement, amusement, hilarity, andgeneral happiness.
History of the laughing emoji
The laughing emoji was originally approved as part of Unicode 6.0 in 2010 under the name “Face with Tears of Joy.” Designed by the unicode emoji subcommittee, it was added to major platforms like iOS, Android and Windows in 2011 as part of their emoji fonts. Facebook adopted it in 2013 as part of a major expansion of their “like” button reactions. Since then, it has become one of the most popular emojis used on Facebook and across other social media.
The inspiration for the laughing emoji is generally thought to come from the phrase “tears of joy” and the idea of laughing so hard that you cry. The tears streaming down its face are meant to depict that intense expression of amusement. Other names for this emoji include “lol emoji” or “joy emoji.”
Meaning and use of the laughing emoji
The laughing emoji is used to convey a wide range of positive sentiments including amusement, fun, hilarity, laughter, merriment, cheerfulness, and joviality. It often signifies laughter so hard that it brings tears to one’s eyes. Some common meanings and use cases include:
- Conveying that something is extremely funny or hilarious.
- Reacting positively to jokes and memes.
- Expressing general excitement, joy and happiness.
- Laughing off embarrassments or mistakes.
- Making jokes and banter seem more light-hearted.
- Showing approval, agreement or endorsement of something humorous.
The laughing emoji is very versatile and colorful. It can liven up conversations and inject humor and amusement into digital communication. This makes it very popular on social media platforms like Facebook.
Context and tone of the laughing emoji
Understanding the context and tone of how the laughing emoji is used is important to interpreting it correctly. Here are some general guidelines on the context:
- It is mostly used in casual and informal contexts, and less frequently in formal or serious situations.
- It often signifies friendly, cheerful, positive interactions and joking around.
- It can soften critiques or sarcastic comments when used alongside them.
- Overusing it can seem excessive and insincere.
- It should be used thoughtfully in sensitive or controversial conversations.
Some examples of the tone and context:
- “Haha that’s hilarious!” (Sincere amusement)
- “LOL 😂” (Casual laughter)
- “That joke was funny 😂” (Positive reaction)
- “I totally messed up 😂” (Self-deprecating humor)
- “This emoji is my favorite! 😂” (Excitement)
Overall, the laughing emoji is seen as positive and light-hearted. But like with any communication, the context matters. It’s best used to signal amusement, defuse tension, and bond over humor.
Variations of the laughing emoji
There are some subtle variations of the laughing emoji across different platforms:
- Apple’s design features rounder eyes and smoother lines.
- Google’s design has squarer eyes and a rougher texture.
- Facebook’s design uses thicker outlines and gradients.
- Some platforms add blush or red cheeks for an even cheerier look.
- Certain designs are angled or tilted back in deeper laughter.
But the overall shape and tears of joy are consistent. These minor artistic differences aim to match the style of each platform while preserving the emoji’s meaning.
Other laughing emoji alternatives
The laughing emoji is not the only one available for expressing amusement. Here are some other laughing emoji designs to convey different degrees of laughter:
| Emoji | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 😄 | Grinning Face with Smiling Eyes | Smiling happily, mild amusement |
| 😆 | Grinning Squinting Face | Laughing joyfully |
| 😅 | Grinning Face with Sweat | Laughing nervously or embarrassingly |
| 🤣 | Rolling on the Floor Laughing | Laughing uncontrollably, intensive mirth |
So a range of laughing emoji options can help capture different laughing moods and contexts.
Popularity and usage of the laughing emoji on Facebook
The laughing emoji is one of the most popular emojis used on Facebook. According to Facebook, it is the #1 most used emoji on their platform. Some key statistics and facts about its usage:
- It makes up 9% of all emoji reactions on Facebook, the highest percentage.
- Over 900 million laughing emoji reactions are sent on Facebook daily.
- It is the #1 most popular emoji reaction on Facebook posts.
- Posts with the laughing emoji get double the amount of engagement than non-emoji posts.
- The laughing emoji is the #2 most used emoji overall on Facebook behind the heart emoji.
- It is also popular on Facebook Messenger for reacting to funny messages.
Clearly the laughing emoji resonates very strongly with Facebook users and is deeply ingrained in the platform’s culture. It enables users to express amusement, vicariously participate in jokes, and bond over humor.
Reasons for popularity on Facebook
There are several key reasons why the laughing emoji is so ubiquitous on Facebook:
- Laughter is contagious – Seeing others laugh makes us more likely to laugh and signals content is funny.
- Shared humor builds connections – Laughing together forms bonds and communities.
- It softens critiques – Helps criticize or poke fun while maintaining positive tone.
- Uplifting tone – Laughter improves mood and morale.
- Versatile uses – Fits many conversational contexts.
- Familiarity – One of the first and most well-known emoji.
In short, the laughing emoji spreads laughter, improves tone, and connects people. It aligns perfectly with Facebook’s focus on building community.
Cultural significance of laughing emoji on Facebook
The laughing emoji holds cultural significance based on how it is used on Facebook:
- It represents a digitally shared expression of humor and laughter.
- It connects people across cultures by expressing a universal human experience.
- It signifies users’ ability to interact using emoji as a common language.
- It embodies the uplifting mood and tone Facebook seeks to foster.
- Its popularity reflects the viral spread of emoji and internet culture.
This shows how the laughing emoji permeates shared experiences on Facebook and represents the site’s community-building abilities. The emoji has taken on a prominent cultural role within digital communication.
Criticisms and controversies
While widely popular, the laughing emoji has some criticisms and controversies associated with its overuse:
- It can seem insincere or passive-aggressive in some contexts.
- Overuse can undermine serious conversations.
- It can falsely signal that offensive comments are funny.
- Some find excessive laughing reactions annoying and distracting.
- It may encourage oversharing embarrassing or crude humor.
These downsides highlight the importance of thoughtful communication even when laughter is involved. The laughing emoji is best used to spread cheer in positive uplifting ways.
Usage guidelines and etiquette
Here are some guidelines and etiquette for appropriately using the laughing emoji on Facebook:
- Use sincerely in positive humorous contexts.
- Avoid overuse in serious conversations.
- Make sure jokes are tasteful and inoffensive.
- Laugh with people rather than at them.
- Don’t pressure others to laugh along.
- Consider cultural differences in humor.
- Respect if others don’t find something funny.
Following proper laughing emoji etiquette helps maintain positive communities. Laughter should unite people rather than divide.
The future of the laughing emoji
The laughing emoji seems likely to remain highly popular given its ability to convey joy and connection. A few predictions for its future:
- It will continue spreading laughter and improving tone in digital spaces.
- Variations like laughing crying emoji will gain prominence for expressing different laughter levels.
- It may evolve visually but retain its meaning.
- More backlash could arise from overuse, so mindfulness will be key.
- It could be incorporated into messaging beyond text like video and VR.
The laughing emoji seems positioned to continue bringing people together through laughter. Responsible use that avoids excess will help it maintain positive cultural significance.
Conclusion
The laughing emoji holds deep meaning and influence on Facebook. It enables users worldwide to express amusement, bond over humor, and uplift conversations with laughter. This fits core social intentions of Facebook as a community. But overuse can undermine its positive impact. When used thoughtfully, this iconic emoji can spread joy and connection for years to come.