A ten-year-old boy has started a petition for Apple to change its ‘nerd’ emoji, saying it is insulting to people who wear glasses.
Teddy Cottle, 10, from Peppard in Oxfordshire, said he thought the icon, which shows a face wearing glasses and with prominent front teeth, gave the wrong impression of glasses-wearers.
He has designed his own version, with a smaller, toothless grin, but still keeping the glasses - which he dubbed the ‘genius’ emoji.
Speaking to the BBC, the youngster said: “We want to change this - Apple are making it absolutely horrible for people wearing glasses.
“They're making people think we're nerds and it's absolutely horrible.
"It's making me feel sad and upset, and if I find it offensive there'll be thousands of people around the world that find it offensive too."
The schoolboy was encouraged by one of his teachers to start the petition and has also been helped by friends.
The petition states: “We think the nerd emoji is offensive and insulting to all those people in the world who wear glasses.
“We think people who wear glasses are cool and we are worried that people who are getting glasses for the first time will think they are going to look like rabbits or rats.
“We are asking you to change the name of the emoji to the genius emoji and change the design.”
One signatory said: “I believe in promoting body positivity and I would like to support a brilliant initiative!” while another added: “With you all the way, Teddy! Let’s make the change.”
Apple has been contacted for comment.
You can find Teddy's petition here.
