Latest news with #emojis
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Warning: These emojis could mean your partner is cheating according to a private investigator
The Coldplay kiss-cam scandal – which saw a married boss and his alleged mistress caught in an embrace on the big screen – has become a global talking point. But, while the story went viral, there may be a far less public and more discreet way to spot your partner is cheating. A top private investigator told Fabulous the secret code cheaters are using to hide affairs on their phones. While some go to extreme lengths to cover their tracks, others are using something far more subtle: emojis. According to Paul Jones from ARF Private Investigators, apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat have become a hotbed for hidden relationships, with secret codes, archived chats and sneaky symbols replacing the traditional love letter. People often think of cheating as something obvious such as flirty photos, late nights or secret calls. But Paul says many of the cases he works on start with something as small as a random emoji. Sneaky symbols He told The Sun: 'Over the past year we've seen an increase in people using everyday symbols as a way to communicate without getting caught. 'On the surface, it might look innocent, but there's usually a deeper meaning.' One of the most common signs? A flurry of harmless-looking messages with the croissant or padlock emojis. If these symbols are in your partner's most-used emojis – found by clicking the emoji icon on the keyboard when typing a message – it could be an indicator they are being used for an affair. These symbols may mean nothing to you, but to someone cheating, they are code for dinners, hook-ups, or secret messages. Paul added: 'We've had people using a croissant emoji as a way of saying 'meet me for breakfast', or the letter emoji as a subtle 'text me when you're free'. 'It's like their own language, one that their partner isn't meant to understand.' Here are just a few examples Paul has seen used in real cases: The private investigator added: 'Used once or twice they don't mean much. 'But when you see them appearing regularly in chats with the same person, especially late at night, they start to mean something more.' Warning signs So what phone habits should you look out for with your partner? Paul continued: 'Start with your gut. 'If your partner suddenly starts hiding their phone, keeping conversations short, or you notice new contacts with strange names or emojis, that's when you should start asking questions.' There are other ways to find out your partner is having an affair – Carla Bellucci had a decade-long affair with her now husband Gio, and she text Gio's ex evidence of their relationship. If you're at a crossroads in your relationship, or feel you need advice and support, The Sun 's Dear Deidre team of qualified counsellors are available. Read their advice for a woman who's fallen pregnant with a wealthy man's baby, who is struggling to come to terms with the fact he wants to take no responsibility for their baby. Four red flags your partner is cheating Private Investigator Aaron Bond from BondRees revealed four warning signs your partner might be cheating. They start to take their phone everywhere with them In close relationships, it's normal to know each other's passwords and use each other's phones, if their phone habits change then they may be hiding something. Aaron says: 'If your partner starts changing their passwords, starts taking their phone everywhere with them, even around the house or they become defensive when you ask to use their phone it could be a sign of them not being faithful.' 'You should also look at how they place their phone down when not in use. If they face the phone with the screen facing down, then they could be hiding something.' They start telling you less about their day When partners cheat they can start to avoid you, this could be down to them feeling guilty or because it makes it easier for them to lie to you. 'If you feel like your partner has suddenly begun to avoid you and they don't want to do things with you any more or they stop telling you about their day then this is another red flag.' 'Partners often avoid their spouses or tell them less about their day because cheating can be tough, remembering all of your lies is impossible and it's an easy way to get caught out,' says Aaron. Their libido changes Your partner's libido can change for a range of reasons so it may not be a sure sign of cheating but it can be a red flag according to Aaron. 'Cheaters often have less sex at home because they are cheating, but on occasions, they may also have more sex at home, this is because they feel guilty and use this increase in sex to hide their cheating,' Aaron said. 'You may also find that your partner will start to introduce new things into your sex life that weren't there before.' They become negative towards you Cheaters know that cheating is wrong and to them, it will feel good, this can cause tension and anxiety within themselves which they will need to justify. 'To get rid of the tension they feel inside they will try to convince themselves that you are the problem and they will become critical of you out of nowhere,' Aaron warns. 'Maybe you haven't walked the dog that day, put the dishes away or read a book to your children before bedtime. A small problem like this can now feel like a big deal and if you experience this your partner could be cheating.'
Fast Company
3 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
37% of employees have wondered if emojis are professional
Emojis are a quick, succinct way to get your point across, and let's be real, they're just downright fun, but if you've ever wondered if they're work appropriate, take heart, you're not alone. According to a new survey from Glassdoor, professionals frequently use emojis to communicate, yet, at the same time, wonder if doing so is work appropriate. Nearly 37% of professionals have questioned whether emoji usage was suitable for work, and this jumps to 41% for Gen Z. However, people ages 21–25 also tend to be the heaviest emoji users: 41% of them use emojis at work. Emojis use also seems to be industry dependent. In particular, people-centric industries, such as healthcare, education, entertainment, consulting, and advertising, had the highest rates of emoji use. But the most popular emojis for the industries differed. For example, while teachers leaned into emotions that expressed warmth or caring, healthcare workers were more inclined to use emojis that revealed dark humor or burnout. Those in advertising used emojis that emphasized both 'flair and feedback,' such as music and applause hands. Fittingly, those who used emojis the least were 'regulated and risk aware' fields like insurance and real estate. While emojis tend to be used differently across industries, the survey pointed to some common ground. Employees across industries pointed to three emojis as being the most snide: thumbs up, ellipses (…), and the simple smiling emoji. Still, some respondents said that how to interpret an emoji really depends on context, mainly, who is doing the sending. 'I think it really depends on the person,' one respondent said. 'Sometimes even a smiley face or thumbs up by the right person can be really passive aggressive.'
News24
6 days ago
- Business
- News24
In which context is the banana being eaten? When workplace emojis cross the line into harassment
What is the appropriate use of emojis in the workplace and does such even exist? CDH webinar
The Sun
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Private investigator reveals the secret code cheaters are using to hide affairs & the emojis YOU need to look for
THE Coldplay kiss-cam scandal - which saw a married boss and his alleged mistress caught in an embrace on the big screen - has become a global talking point. But, while the story went viral, there may be a far less public and more discreet way to spot your partner is cheating. 3 A top private investigator told Fabulous the secret code cheaters are using to hide affairs on their phones. While some go to extreme lengths to cover their tracks, others are using something far more subtle: emojis. According to Paul Jones from ARF Private Investigators, apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat have become a hotbed for hidden relationships, with secret codes, archived chats and sneaky symbols replacing the traditional love letter. People often think of cheating as something obvious such as flirty photos, late nights or secret calls. SNEAKY SYMBOLS But Paul says many of the cases he works on start with something as small as a random emoji. He told us: 'Over the past year we've seen an increase in people using everyday symbols as a way to communicate without getting caught. 'On the surface, it might look innocent, but there's usually a deeper meaning.' One of the most common signs? A flurry of harmless-looking messages with the croissant or padlock emojis. These symbols may mean nothing to you, but to someone cheating, they are code for dinners, hookups, or secret messages. Paul added: 'We've had people using a croissant emoji as a way of saying 'meet me for breakfast', or the letter emoji as a subtle 'text me when you're free'. Coldplay fan who filmed CEO 'cheating' with HR chief at gig takes swipe at couple 'It's like their own language, one that their partner isn't meant to understand.' EMOJIS TO SPOT Here are just a few examples Paul has seen used in real cases… The private investigator added: 'Used once or twice they don't mean much. 'But when you see them appearing regularly in chats with the same person, especially late at night, they start to mean something more.' WARNING SIGNS So what phone habits should you look out for with your partner? Paul continued: 'Start with your gut. 'If your partner suddenly starts hiding their phone, keeping conversations short, or you notice new contacts with strange names or emojis, that's when you should start asking questions.' There are other ways to find out your partner is having an affair - Carla Bellucci had a decade-long affair with her now husband Gio, and she text Gio's ex evidence of their relationship. If you're at a crossroads in your relationship, or feel you need advice and support, The Sun's Dear Deidre team of qualified counsellors are available. Read their advice for a woman who's fallen pregnant with a wealthy man's baby, who is struggling to come to terms with the fact he wants to take no responsibility for their baby. Four red flags your partner is cheating Private Investigator Aaron Bond from BondRees revealed four warning signs your partner might be cheating. They start to take their phone everywhere with them In close relationships, it's normal to know each other's passwords and use each other's phones, if their phone habits change then they may be hiding something. Aaron says: "If your partner starts changing their passwords, starts taking their phone everywhere with them, even around the house or they become defensive when you ask to use their phone it could be a sign of them not being faithful." "You should also look at how they place their phone down when not in use. If they face the phone with the screen facing down, then they could be hiding something." They start telling you less about their day When partners cheat they can start to avoid you, this could be down to them feeling guilty or because it makes it easier for them to lie to you. "If you feel like your partner has suddenly begun to avoid you and they don't want to do things with you any more or they stop telling you about their day then this is another red flag." "Partners often avoid their spouses or tell them less about their day because cheating can be tough, remembering all of your lies is impossible and it's an easy way to get caught out," says Aaron. Their libido changes Your partner's libido can change for a range of reasons so it may not be a sure sign of cheating but it can be a red flag according to Aaron. Aaron says: "Cheaters often have less sex at home because they are cheating, but on occasions, they may also have more sex at home, this is because they feel guilty and use this increase in sex to hide their cheating. You may also find that your partner will start to introduce new things into your sex life that weren't there before." They become negative towards you Cheaters know that cheating is wrong and to them, it will feel good, this can cause tension and anxiety within themselves which they will need to justify. "To get rid of the tension they feel inside they will try to convince themselves that you are the problem and they will become critical of you out of nowhere. Maybe you haven't walked the dog that day, put the dishes away or read a book to your children before bedtime. A small problem like this can now feel like a big deal and if you experience this your partner could be cheating," warns Aaron.
The Herald
18-07-2025
- General
- The Herald
Smile or fruit, beware of the emoji you send — especially at work
Red heart, banana and peach emojis may look innocent — and they are. But in what context and sequence are you using them? That's what could be problematic with the emojis you love sending. Dr Zakeera Docrat, the University of the Western Cape's forensic and legal linguist, has warned people to think about the messages they send with emojis, especially in the workplace. Speaking at a webinar under the theme: 'Beyond the smile: Emojis, communication and misinterpretation in the modern workplace', Docrat said one should be careful of the emojis they send. She urged companies to develop policies that regulate communication in the workplace. 'It would be dependent on what you want to control within the specific workplace but you can never have one policy that would be applied and adopted across various spaces, that would never work. It needs to be a policy that is specific to your needs and as a forensic and legal linguist, it's always good to consult us and to say, these are the issues that we have. 'We need to formulate a policy that controls the behaviour and communication practices. It has to be something that's updated quite frequently,' Docrat said. What do we deem as appropriate workplace communication? 'A lot of the emojis are open to interpretation, it's based on context, the nature of the relationship between you and the recipient ... If there is a power dynamic between you and another colleague, is it appropriate for you to be sending them an emoji? Is it an appropriate response to send an emoji? Why are you doing it? 'The role of gender is also important and for me it influences the power dynamic, especially if it is a senior male colleague. If a male colleague sends me a red heart emoji, and I don't have that type of relationship where I know them very well and I get sent a heart, I would immediately be offended.' So, do you know what the emojis you love sending mean and are they appropriate to send to your colleagues? 'What are you communicating with your emoji? Take for an example the tongue out emojis. Are you joking or are you being insulting?' Docrat, who testified in the Judicial Conduct Tribunal hearing into sexual harassment against Eastern Cape judge president Selby Mbenenge, said emojis mean different things to different people. Andiswa Mengo has accused Mbenenge of sexually harassing her over eight months in 2021 and 2022. She has testified that not only did he send her unwanted sexually explicit WhatsApp messages, but had attempted to solicit oral sex from her in his chambers and sent her a photo of his penis. Said Docrat: 'When we talk about the analysis or interpretation of emojis, we can't be divorced in a sense from the culture and the language in which the emojis are being used. It is very important for an expert, and I don't want to say [expert should] be from that culture or know that language but [the expert] has to have an association [with the culture or language it is being used]. 'You have to be able to read the context. Understanding the language that is being used in a written text, understanding the culture is extremely important.' Emojis with sexual connotations included a peach and eggplant with water droplets used in sequence; an eggplant, banana, lips, lip biting, also used in sequence.
