User:Donald Trung/Are emoji's copyrighted?
This is a drafting area for a question â (or topic) I wish ð to start at âCommons:Village pump/Copyrightâ related to the hosting and usage of emoji's on Wikimedia Commons.
Contrary to popular belief emoji's are UniCode characters, however stating this will probably lead someone reading this to state that I'm âviolating the spirit, not the written meaning of UniCodeâ because Wikimedians are dense like that, and for some inexplicable reason most Wikimedians seem to hate emoji's with a passion, in fact merely using an emoji will immediately have any argument placed forth dismissed by some Wikimedians. Is this emojiphobia secretly a subconscious manifestation of their copyright-paranoia? Note ð that all text on this website is published under the Creative Commons 3.0 ShareAlike and commercial re-usage license as well as the GDFL âfree ðâ license.
Are emoji's copyrighted?
editI noticed a thing as I was editing Wikimedia Commons on different platforms, that emoji's look radically different depending on the platform that youâre using at that moment, this has lead me to believe that emoji's might or might not be considered to be âoriginal works of artâ.
How they look on Microsoftâs Windows 10 Mobile:
-
Microsoftâs Windows 10 Mobile. -
Microsoftâs Windows 10 Mobile. -
Microsoftâs Windows 10 Mobile. -
Microsoftâs Windows 10 Mobile. -
Microsoftâs Windows 10 Mobile. -
Microsoftâs Windows 10 Mobile.
_December_2018_01.png)
_December_2018_02.png)
_December_2018_03.png)
_December_2018_04.png)
_December_2018_05.png)
_December_2018_06.png)
How they look on Googleâs Android:
-
Google's Android. -
Google's Android. -
Google's Android. -
Google's Android. -
Google's Android. -
Google's Android. -
Google's Android. -
Google's Android. -
Google's Android. -
Google's Android.
_December_2018_01.png)
_December_2018_02.png)
_December_2018_03.png)
_December_2018_04.png)
_December_2018_05.png)
_December_2018_06.png)
_December_2018_07.png)
_December_2018_08.png)
_December_2018_09.png)
_December_2018_10.png)
How they look on Microsoftâs Windows Phone 8.1 (with Nokia Lumia Denim):
-
Microsoftâs Windows Phone 8.1 (with Nokia Lumia Denim). -
Microsoftâs Windows Phone 8.1 (with Nokia Lumia Denim). -
Microsoftâs Windows Phone 8.1 (with Nokia Lumia Denim). -
Microsoftâs Windows Phone 8.1 (with Nokia Lumia Denim). -
Microsoftâs Windows Phone 8.1 (with Nokia Lumia Denim). -
Microsoftâs Windows Phone 8.1 (with Nokia Lumia Denim). -
Microsoftâs Windows Phone 8.1 (with Nokia Lumia Denim).
_December_2018_01.png)
_December_2018_02.png)
_December_2018_03.png)
_December_2018_04.png)
_December_2018_05.png)
_December_2018_06.png)
_December_2018_07.png)
From these galleries of images several different conclusions could be taken, namely:
- (1), Emoji's arenât actually the images you type in but a line of code that gets rendered differently depending on what software ð©âð» youâre using (like how WhatsApp-Messenger renders all emoji's like Appleâs standards even on Microsoftâs Windows and Googleâs Android operating systems, or how the Facebookâs Messenger has its own unique rendition), it is therefor reasonable to assume that while some (if not all, or at least most) emoji's are copyrighted, theyâre not actually being posted to Wikimedia Commons but an interpretation of them based on the software the person viewing it is using, this would mean that the above screenshots should have to be deleted (if someone agrees then please file a DR).
- (2), Emoji's are not copyrighted unless theyâre the centre of the subject and could then be considered to be de minimis.
- (3), Emoji's are in fact just Unicode characters no different than this letter âAâ.
According to this source (https://www.howtogeek.com/293831/ARE-EMOJI-COPYRIGHTED/) every emoji is separately copyrighted and while some are copyrighted others aren't, this would probably mean that emoji's that don't meet the threshold of originality would not be able to be considered copyrighted works of art while those that do can. It is important to note that as emoji's look differently on different platforms simply stating if emoji âðµâ is copyrighted or not would depend on the person viewing it.
MORE RESEARCH TO FOLLOW. 
 On hold.
Original publication ð€
editSent ð© from my Microsoft Lumia 950 XL with Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile ð±. --Donald Trung ã埵åå®ã (No Fake News ð¬) (WikiProject Numismatics ðŽ) (Articles ð) 19:23, 22 December 2018 (UTC)
Samples of current (December 2018) emoji's for illustration and documentation
editThese emoji's are placed here to test how they're rendered differently on Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile ð± and Google Android relating to a question â about the copyright © status of these special characters and whether or not they should be allowed to be used on Wikimedia projects regarding their status, I have organised them in rows to see if there is overlap or not, the overlap should indicate whether or not the emoji is âdevice-uniqueâ testifying to it being copyrighted by either Google or Microsoft or not.
- Set 1
(Standard emoji's)
ððð ð€£ððð ððððð ðððððâºð ð€ð€©ð€ð€šð ðð¶ððð£ð¥ð® ð€ð¯ðªð«ðŽ ðððð ð€€ððððð ð€ð² â¹ððððð€ð¢ððŠð§ðšð© ð€¯ð¬ð°ð±ð³ ð€ªðµð ð¡ ð€¬ð· ð€ð€ð€¢ð€®ð€§ð ð€ ð€¡ð€¥ð€«ð€ð§ ð€ðð¿ð¹ðºðâ ð»ðœðŸ ð€ð©
(Cats)
ðºðžð¹ð»ðŒðœðð¿ðŸð±âð€ð±âðð±âð»ð±âðð±âðð±âð
(Non-human and non-feline animals)
ððððµð¶ðºð± ðŠð¯ ðŠðŠ ð®ð·ððð¹ð°ð»ðšðŒðž ðŠ ðŽ ðŠðð²ðœðŸð© ðŠðŠðŠ ðððð ððððððð ðððªð«ððð ðŠðð¿ ðŠ ðð¢ðð ðŠðŠðŠð¬ ðŠð³ð ðð ðŠð¡ðð ðŠðŠ ðŠðŠðŠ ðð£ð€ð¥ðŠð§ð ðŠðŠðð ðŠððð ðŠð·ðž
(Human professionals among others)
ð©ââïž ðšââïž ð©âððšâðð©âð«ðšâð«ð©ââïž ðšââïž ð©âðŸðšâðŸð©âð³ðšâð³ ð©âð§ðšâð§ð©âððšâðð©âðŒðšâðŒð©âð¬ðšâð¬ð©âð»ðšâð»ð©âð€ðšâð€ ð©âðšðšâðšð©ââïž ðšââïž ð©âððšâðð©âððšâððð©ââ€ïžâð©ðšââ€ïžâðšð ð©ââ€ïžâðâð©ðšââ€ïžâðâðšðªðšâð©âðŠðšâð©âð§ðšâð©âð§âðŠðšâð©âðŠâðŠðšâð©âð§âð§ðšâðšâðŠðšâðšâð§ ðšâðšâð§âðŠðšâðšâðŠâðŠðšâðšâð§âð§ð©âð©âðŠð©âð©âð§ð©âð©âð§âðŠð©âð©âðŠâðŠð©âð©âð§âð§ð©âðŠ ð©âð§ð©âð§âðŠð©âðŠâðŠð©âð§âð§ðšâðŠðšâð§ðšâð§âðŠðšâðŠâðŠðšâð§âð§ð«ð¬ ðð¯ââïž ð¯ââïž ð€Œââïžð€Œââïžð€ºâ· ð§ââïžð§ââïžð£ð€ð¥ ððð ð ð§ ð£
- Set 2
(Human faces â Lightest skin tone)
ð©ð»ðšð» ð§ð»ð§ð»ðŠð» ð§ð»ð¶ð»ðµð»ðŽð» ð§ð»ð®ð» ðµð»ðð»ð·ð»ðžð» ð€Žð»ð³ð»ð²ð» ð§ð»ð±ð»ðŒð» ð€¶ð»ð ð» ð§ð»
(Human doings â Lightest skin tone)
ð°ð» ð€µð»ð€±ð»ð€°ð»ð§ð»ð§ð»ð§ð»ð§ð»ð§ð»ð§ð»ðð»ðð»ð ð» ðð»ðð»ðð»ðð» ð€Šð»ð€·ð»ðð»ðð» ð§ð»ð€¹ð»ð¶ð»ðð» ðð»ðºð» ð§ð»ð§ð»ðð»ðð»ðŽð»ðð»ðð»ðð»ðð»ð£ð»ðð» ð€œð»ð€Ÿð»â¹ð»ðð»ðŽð»ðµð» ð€žð»
(Human gestures â Lightest skin tone)
ð€³ð»ðªð»ðð»ðð»âð»ðð»ðð»âð» ð€ð»ðð» ð€ð»ð€ð»ðð»âð» ðð»ðð»ðð»âð»ðð» ð€ð»ð€ð»ð€ð»ðð» ð€ð»âð»ðð»ðð» ðð» ð€²ð»ðð» ð€ð»ð ð»ðð»ðð»
(Human faces â Yellow skin tone)
ð©ðš ð§ð§ðŠ ð§ð¶ðµðŽ ð§ð®ðµ ðð·ðž ð€Žð³ð² ð§ð±ðŒ ð€¶ð ð§
(Human doings â Yellow skin tone)
ð° ð€µð€±ð€°ð§ð§ð§ð§ð§ð§ððð ð ððð ð€Šð€·ðð ð§ð€¹ð¶ðððº ð§ ð§ðððŽððððð£ð ð€œð€Ÿâ¹ð ðŽðµ ð€ž
(Human gestures â Yellow skin tone)
ð€³ðªððâððâ ð€ð ð€ð€ðâð ððâð ð€ð€ð€ð ð€âððð ð€² ð ð€ð ðð
(Human faces â Mediterranean skin tone)
ð©ðŒðšðŒ ð§ðŒð§ðŒðŠðŒ ð§ðŒð¶ðŒðµðŒðŽðŒ ð§ðŒð®ðŒðµðŒ ððŒð·ðŒðžðŒ ð€ŽðŒð³ðŒð²ðŒ ð§ðŒð±ðŒðŒðŒ ð€¶ðŒð ðŒ ð§ðŒ
(Human doings â Mediterranean skin tone)
ð°ðŒ ð€µðŒð€±ðŒð€°ðŒð§ðŒð§ðŒð§ðŒð§ðŒð§ðŒð§ðŒððŒððŒð ðŒððŒ ððŒððŒððŒ ð€ŠðŒð€·ðŒððŒððŒ ð§ðŒð€¹ðŒð¶ðŒððŒððŒðºðŒ ð§ðŒ ð§ðŒððŒððŒðŽðŒððŒððŒððŒððŒð£ðŒððŒ ð€œðŒð€ŸðŒâ¹ðŒððŒ ðŽðŒðµðŒ ð€žðŒ
(Human gestures â Mediterranean skin tone)
ð€³ðŒðªðŒððŒððŒâðŒððŒððŒâðŒ ð€ðŒððŒ ð€ðŒð€ðŒððŒâðŒððŒ ððŒððŒâðŒððŒ ð€ðŒð€ðŒð€ðŒððŒ ð€ðŒâðŒððŒððŒððŒ ð€²ðŒððŒ ð€ðŒð ðŒððŒððŒ
(Human faces â South-Asian skin tone)
ð©ðœðšðœ ð§ðœð§ðœðŠðœ ð§ðœð¶ðœðµðœðŽðœ ð§ðœð®ðœðµðœ ððœð·ðœðžðœ ð€Žðœð³ðœð²ðœ ð§ðœð±ðœðŒðœ ð€¶ðœð ðœ ð§ðœ
(Human doings â South-Asian skin tone)
ð°ðœ ð€µðœð€±ðœð€°ðœð§ðœð§ðœð§ðœð§ðœð§ðœð§ðœððœððœð ðœððœ ððœððœððœ ð€Šðœð€·ðœððœððœ ð§ðœð€¹ðœð¶ðœððœððœðºðœ ð§ðœ ð§ðœððœððœðŽðœððœððœððœððœð£ðœððœ ð€œðœð€Ÿðœâ¹ðœððœ ðŽðœðµðœ ð€žðœ
(Human gestures â South-Asian skin tone)
ð€³ðœðªðœððœððœâðœððœððœâðœ ð€ðœððœ ð€ðœð€ðœððœâðœððœ ððœððœâðœððœ ð€ðœð€ðœð€ðœððœ ð€ðœâðœððœððœððœ ð€²ðœððœ ð€ðœð ðœððœððœ
(Human faces â Peruvian skin tone)
ð©ðŸðšðŸ ð§ðŸð§ðŸðŠðŸ ð§ðŸð¶ðŸðµðŸðŽðŸ ð§ðŸð®ðŸðµðŸ ððŸð·ðŸðžðŸ ð€ŽðŸð³ðŸð²ðŸ ð§ðŸð±ðŸðŒðŸ ð€¶ðŸð ðŸ ð§ðŸ
(Human doings â Peruvian skin tone)
ð°ðŸ ð€µðŸð€±ðŸð€°ðŸð§ðŸð§ðŸð§ðŸð§ðŸð§ðŸð§ðŸððŸððŸð ðŸ ððŸððŸððŸððŸ ð€ŠðŸð€·ðŸððŸððŸ ð§ðŸð€¹ðŸð¶ðŸððŸ ððŸðºðŸ ð§ðŸð§ðŸððŸððŸðŽðŸððŸððŸððŸððŸð£ðŸððŸ ð€œðŸð€ŸðŸâ¹ðŸððŸðŽðŸðµðŸ ð€žðŸ
(Human gestures â Peruvian skin tone)
ð€³ðŸðªðŸððŸððŸâðŸððŸððŸâðŸ ð€ðŸððŸ ð€ðŸð€ðŸððŸâðŸððŸ ððŸððŸâðŸððŸ ð€ðŸð€ðŸð€ðŸððŸ ð€ðŸâðŸððŸððŸððŸ ð€²ðŸððŸ ð€ðŸð ðŸððŸððŸ
(Human faces â Sub-Saharan African skin tone)
ð©ð¿ðšð¿ ð§ð¿ð§ð¿ðŠð¿ ð§ð¿ð¶ð¿ðµð¿ðŽð¿ ð§ð¿ð®ð¿ðµð¿ ðð¿ð·ð¿ðžð¿ ð€Žð¿ð³ð¿ð²ð¿ ð§ð¿ð±ð¿ðŒð¿ ð€¶ð¿ð ð¿ ð§ð¿
(Human doings â Sub-Saharan African skin tone)
ð°ð¿ ð€µð¿ð€±ð¿ð€°ð¿ð§ð¿ð§ð¿ð§ð¿ð§ð¿ð§ð¿ð§ð¿ðð¿ðð¿ð ð¿ðð¿ ðð¿ðð¿ðð¿ ð€Šð¿ð€·ð¿ðð¿ðð¿ ð§ð¿ð€¹ð¿ð¶ð¿ðð¿ðð¿ðºð¿ ð§ð¿ ð§ð¿ðð¿ðð¿ðŽð¿ðð¿ðð¿ðð¿ðð¿ð£ð¿ðð¿ ð€œð¿ð€Ÿð¿â¹ð¿ðð¿ ðŽð¿ðµð¿ ð€žð¿
(Human gestures â Sub-Saharan African skin tone)
ð€³ð¿ðªð¿ðð¿ðð¿âð¿ðð¿ðð¿âð¿ ð€ð¿ðð¿ ð€ð¿ð€ð¿ðð¿âð¿ðð¿ ðð¿ðð¿âð¿ðð¿ ð€ð¿ð€ð¿ð€ð¿ðð¿ ð€ð¿âð¿ðð¿ðð¿ðð¿ ð€²ð¿ðð¿ ð€ð¿ð ð¿ðð¿ðð¿
- Set 3;
(Balloon ð to Diamond ð)
ðððâšððððððððð ððððððð«ð ð¡ð¢ðªððŠ ðŒðšð°ððð¶ ð§£ð§€ð§¥ððð 𧊠ðððððððððððð ð¡ ð¢ð ð§¢âðð©ððððð
(Sports ðŸ)
âœâŸðððð±ðð³ ð¥â³âžð£ ðœð¶ð¿ð·ðððððžðŸð¯ ð¥ ð¥ð¥ ð¥ð¥ð¥ð ðð
(Microsoft Xbox ð® â Barrel ð¢)
ð®ð¹ð²ðŽððâ â£â¥âŠððð ð¢ð£ððŒðµð¶ðð€ððð§ð¯ ð¥ð·ðžð¹ðºð»ð»ððððð ððšââð ð§ð©âðð¢
(Laboratory equipment ð¬ â Weapons â - Telecommunications ð²)
âððð¬ðâð¿ðâð¡ð¹ð¡â ðªð«ð£âððð ð±ð²ð³ðŽ
(Cigarette ð¬ â Lantern ð®)
ð¬â°â±ð¿ð®ððð»ð¥ðšâšð±ð²ðœ ðŸð¿ðð¥ð¬ðœð¡ðºð·ðžð¹ðŒððð¯ð¡ðŠð®
(Books ð â Clocks ð°)
ððððððððððððð ð°ððð·ð°ðŽðµð¶ð·ðžð³ð§ âð§ðšð©ð€ð¥ðŠð«ðªð¬ðð® ð³ââðððððððŒððð ð ððððððððððððð âðððââ³ââ°â±â²ð°
- Set 4
(Foods)
ððððð¿ ð¥ð¥ð¥ð³ð ð¥ð¥š ð¥ð§ð¥ð¥ð¥ªð®ð¯ ð¥«ðð 𥩠ð ð¥ð¥ ð¥¡ð±ðððððð£ð€ ð¥ð¢ ð¥ð²ðð¥£ð¥§ðŠð§ðšð©ðª ðð°ð«ð¬ðð¡ð®ð¯
(Drinks)
ðŒ ð¥âðµð¶ðŸð·ðžð¹ðºð» ð¥ ð¥ð¥€ð¥¢ðœðŽ ð¥ðº
(Fruits and other plants)
ð¥ð¥¥ððððððððð ððððð ððœð¶ð ð¥ð¥ ð¥Šð¥ð¥ð° ð¥ððžðµð¹ðºð»ðŒ ð· ð¥âð±ð²ð³ðŽðµðŸð¿ðð ðð
- Set 5
(Vehicles)
ðððððððððððð ððððð²ðŽðµðððð ð ðððððððððð ð¡ðâ ð©ð«ð¬ðºðððžð°âµð€ð¥âŽð³ ð¢
(Anchorâ- Bath ð, get it? Anchorbath, instead of Angkor Wat... Iâll let myself out.)
âðâœðšð¥ðŠð§ðð³âðð³ðŽð©ððððº ðâ°ðð»ð€ððð£ððððððð ððð ð¡âªðððâ©ð¢ð£ð€ð¥ðŠðš ð©ðªð«ð¬ðð¯ð°ððŒððœðŸðâ²âº ðððð ððâšððððªðððœð¿ð
(Weather â and stuff ðŠ)
ââ âð€ð¥ðŠð§ðšð©ðªð« ððððððððððððð âðâðð âð¡ð¬ðððâââ± â¡âââð¥ð§ð
- Set 6
(Hearts ð +)
†ð§¡ððððð€ðâ£ðððð ðððððð¢ð¥ð€ðŠðšð«ð³
(Religion, Superstition, and the Atom â)
â®ââªðâžâ¡ð¯ðâ¯âŠðâââ ââââââââââðââ
(KhÃŽng ð³ â 100 ð¯)
ð³ð¹â¢â£ð¶ððžðºð·âŽððð® ðãã ðŽðµð²ðŒð °ð ±ððð Ÿð âððââð«ðððð·ð¯ð³ð± ððµâââââŒâð¯
(Sun ð - Back ð)
ð ðð±âãœâ ðžð°â»ð¯ð¹ââ³ââ ð ðâ ðâ¿ðððð â¿ðŸð ¿ð°ð¹ðºð»ð®ð¶ðð ððððððð¢â¶âžâ¯â¹âºââ®â©âªð ððââ«â¬ââ¡â¬ â¬â¬ââââââð âªâ©â€Žâ€µâ¹ð€ð¡ð ð£ððððâðð
(Squiggleye ã°ð)
ã°â°âð²ð±ââââ©®â¢ð⪠â«ðŽðµðžð¹ð¶ð·ðºð»ðŒðœâŸâœâ¬â¬âŒâ» âªâ«ð²ð³ðð¯ð¬ðšð
(Clocks â)
ððððððððððððð ðððð ð¡ð¢ð£ð€ð¥ðŠð§
Sent ð© from my Microsoft Lumia 950 XL with Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile ð±. --Donald Trung ã埵åå®ã (No Fake News ð¬) (WikiProject Numismatics ðŽ) (Articles ð) 19:46, 22 December 2018 (UTC)
- Android-only emoji's (as far as I could tell.).
ððïžâðšïžððïžðð
ððŠððšð§ðïžð³ðð¬âºðšð¡ïžâïžââïžð³ððð©ððŽð³ïž.
(National flags)
ðŠðšðŠð©ðŠðªðŠð«ðŠð¬ðŠð®ðŠð±ðŠð²ðŠðŽðŠð¶ðŠð· ðŠðžðŠð¹ðŠðºðŠðŒðŠðœð§ðŠð§ð§ð§ð©ð§ðªð§ð«ð§ð¬ ð§ðð§ð®ð§ð¯ð§ð²ð§ð³ð§ðŽð§ð·ð§ðžð§ð¹ð§ð»ð§ðŒ ð§ðŸð§ð¿ðšðŠðšð©ðšð«ðšð¬ðšððšð®ðšð°ðšð±ðšð² ðšð³ðšðŽðšðµðšð·ðšðºðšð»ðšðŒðšðœðšðŸðšð¿ð©ðª ð©ð¯ð©ð°ð©ð²ð©ðŽð©ð¿ðªðšðªðªðªð¬ðªð·ðªðžðªð¹ ðªðºð«ð®ð«ð¯ð«ð²ð«ðŽð«ð·ð¬ðŠð¬ð§ð¬ð©ð¬ðªð¬ð¬ ð¬ðð¬ð®ð¬ð±ð¬ð²ð¬ð³ð¬ð¶ð¬ð·ð¬ðºð¬ðŒð¬ðŸðð° ðð²ðð³ðð¹ððºð®ðšð®ð©ð®ðªð®ð±ð®ð²ð®ð³ð®ðŽ ð®ð¶ð®ð·ð®ðžð®ð¹ð¯ð²ð¯ðŽð¯ðµð°ðªð°ð¬ð°ðð°ð² ð°ð³ð°ðµð°ð·ð°ðŒð°ðŸð°ð¿ð±ðŠð±ð§ð±ðšð±ð®ð±ð° ð±ð·ð±ð¹ð±ðºð±ð»ð±ðŸð²ðŠð²ðšð²ð©ð²ðªð²ð¬ð²ð ð²ð°ð²ð±ð²ð²ð²ð³ð²ðŽð²ðµð²ð·ð²ðžð²ð¹ð²ðºð²ð» ð²ðŒð²ðœð²ðŸð²ð¿ð³ðŠð³ðªð³ð«ð³ð¬ð³ð®ð³ð±ð³ðŽ ð³ðµð³ð·ð³ðºð³ð¿ðŽð²ðµðŠðµðªðµð«ðµð¬ðµð°ðµð± ðµð³ðµð·ðµðžðµð¹ðµðŒðµðŸð¶ðŠð·ðŽð·ðžð·ðºð·ðŒ ðžð§ðžðšðžð©ðžðªðžð¬ðžððžð®ðžð¯ðžð°ðžð±ðžð² ðžð³ðžðŽðžð·ðžðžðžð¹ðžð»ðžðœðžðŸðžð¿ð¹ðŠð¹ðš ð¹ð©ð¹ð¬ð¹ðð¹ð¯ð¹ð°ð¹ð±ð¹ð²ð¹ð³ð¹ðŽð¹ð·ð¹ð¹ ð¹ð»ð¹ðŒð¹ð¿ðºðŠðºð¬ðºð²ðºðžðºðŸðºð¿ð»ðŠð»ðš ð»ðªð»ð¬ð»ð®ð»ð³ðŒðžðŸðªð¿ðŠð¿ð²ð¿ðŒ
Sent ð© using my Elephone P8 Mini with Google Android. Get Outlook for Android. ð²
General notes ð
edit- The national flag emoji's are most certainly ineligible for copyright ©.