Bad news for anyone who likes to add a touch of topicality to their news feed – Facebook is doing away with the custom reaction emoji that were sometimes available alongside the usual thumbs up, heart and smiley faces on special occasions.
After users noticed the lack of a rainbow flag emoji to represent Pride month in the US, the company confirmed that it's no longer offering extra icons for topical events.
Instead, Facebook is focusing on profile picture frames, text backgrounds, filters and stickers to help users show their support for events. Unlike the special emoji, these decorations will be available year-round, which is useful for occasions like Mother's Day that take place on different dates in different countries, and users create their own for a more personal touch.
Not in the mood
Last year, Facebook expanded its range of reactions beyond the humble 'Like' button, adding 'Love', 'Haha', 'Wow', 'Sad' and 'Angry' based on users' most common single-word comments. The latter two are getting quite a workout from users frustrated by the decision not to add the special Pride flag this year.
Other limited edition emoji have included a purple flower, which was designed to help users show gratitude on Mother's Day. Facebook also released a whole set of special Star Trek themed icons to celebrate the series' 50th anniversary, but the feature neither lived long nor prospered.
Via The Verge
