Free The Aubergine: Our Favourite Emoji Has Been Banned From Instagram

What’s that? Our favourite, always-in-our-recently-used-list emoji has been banned on Instagram?

That’s right. Instagram issued an update last night which allows searchable emoji in hashtags. That means you could search to load up some nail inspo, or   to search #DogsOfInstagram, but our friend the aubergine has been left out. The fear? That peeps will use the emoji to tag dick pics. Oh.

Tellingly, the aubergine is the only emoji that has been omitted from the new hashtag search tool. Other, um, rude emoji like  and  haven’t been shunned.

The good news for emoji addicts is that you can still use your fave, phallic emoji to caption your pics (#cheeky), you just can’t use it to search hashtags, which given its, eh, suggestive meaning is probably for the best really.

• emoji
• Instagram
• tech