The use of emojis is now a part of everyday life. From our texts, emails, even as plush toys, emojis are EVERYWHERE and they are not going away. Would it surprise you to learn that emojis have even turned up in several court cases? From criminal to civil, the interpretation of emojis in these cases were crucial. Since use of emojis are so prevalent, it begs a question, do we need to alter laws and legal theory to make space for this new way of expression?

In this class we will briefly discuss the history and purpose  of emoticons and emojis. We will then discuss the cases in which emojis were at the heart of the issue. I will describe the case details and students will discuss what their interpretation of the emojis could be and guess what the court decided. We will also have a discussion on how we think the law should adapt to the changes in technology and communication and how that could change our society.