Emoticons or emotional icons are created by using standard keyboard characters. They have been around since the beginning of the internet and have changed little since the early 1980s!

Emoji can help you express feelings, emotions and intentions, without the need to use words. Emoji can also depict everyday objects and activities such as clothing, dancing and clapping hands

Although they both serve a similar purpose, they look very different. Emoticons tend to be very simple and generic whereas emoji can differ in appearance depending on what operating system you use

You could completely misunderstand someone by not recognizing what they are trying to tell you through the use of emoji or emoticons

Displaying emotions and feelings can also be used to intentionally upset or bully someone. It’s not only words that can wound!

Using emoji to bully and harass people is the same as using the words that the emoji means

You can use emoji to threaten or abuse a person just the same as using words

Emotions and emotional responses can be very powerful and can cause us to behave or feel in positive or negative ways

Never give a bully what they want – which is a reaction. Follow these steps to ensure you stay in control of the situation, get the support you need to deal with problems effectively and the confidence to move on

Reaching out privately to reassure someone can make all the difference, especially if they are struggling with a situation. Reporting will help the platform to identify the behavior and also alert the platform of a user that may need support. If you are not sure, simply point them to Cybersmile