PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Google Swaps Gun Emoji For a Water Pistol

Facebook is also planning to replace the gun emoji with a toy version on its platforms, according to Emojipedia.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS

Following the lead of several other big tech companies—including Apple, Samsung, and Twitter—Google has changed the gun emoji on its platform to a water pistol.

According to Emojipedia, the update is rolling out to Android devices now. Apple in 2016 became the first company to swap out its gun emoji for a toy version while Samsung and Twitter both did so this year. Facebook-owned WhatsApp released its own batch of emoji last year and—taking cues from Apple—included a squirt gun instead of a weapon from the start.

Google's decision may be seen as a political statement, but Emojipedia says the change is likely intended to "minimize cross-platform confusion." The site pointed to a 2016 statement from Google Product Manager Agustin Fonts who, when questioned about whether Google planned to follow Apple's lead on the gun emoji, said it wants its characters to be "as compatible with other systems as possible."

Now, Facebook is also planning to replace the gun emoji with a toy on its platforms to avoid "a scenario where a user may pick a toy gun from their native emoji keyboard on Apple, Google, or Samsung devices, and have it show as a weapon" on the social network, Emojipedia reports. It's unclear whether Microsoft plans to follow.

Meanwhile, this isn't the first time Google has redesigned a controversial emoji. On a less serious note, the company last year fixed its cheeseburger emoji after someone pointed out that the cheese was placed below the patty. Most commenters—and eventually Google itself—agreed that the cheese unequivocally belongs on top of the patty, not below it.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

Read full bio