Emojis have become a ubiquitous part of modern communication, with millions of people using them to express emotions, ideas, and opinions every day. As such, the Unicode Consortium, a non-profit organization responsible for the standardization of character encoding, has taken on the task of approving and adding new emojis to the Unicode standard.
If you have an idea for a new emoji that you think would be a great addition to the Unicode standard, you may be wondering how to submit it for consideration. In this article, we will guide you through the process of submitting an emoji proposal to the Unicode Consortium.
Step 1: Research and Preparation
Before submitting your proposal, you should research to ensure that your idea is not already part of the Unicode standard. You can check the official Unicode Emoji Chart to see if your emoji has already been added, or you can search for it using Emojipedia, a popular online resource for all things emoji.
Once you have confirmed that your idea is not already part of the Unicode standard, you should start preparing your proposal. This will involve creating a clear and concise description of your proposed emoji, along with any supporting materials or research that you may have.
Step 2: Create a Proposal
To create your proposal, you should review the guidelines provided by Unicode for emoji submissions. Unicode has specific guidelines for emoji submissions, and it is essential to follow them to increase your chances of getting your emoji approved.
Your proposal should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. The guidelines cover everything from the size of the emoji to the design principles that should be used.
Once you have completed your proposal form, you should submit it to the Unicode Consortium using their online submission system. Keep in mind that they might have specific instructions when submitting a proposal that you should check and follow (e.g. the format of the proposal).
When submitting emoji proposals, there are several things that you should keep in mind to increase your chances of success such as originality, relevance, description, and visual representation.
It is said on the Unicode website that it is recommended not to justify the addition of an emoji, not to include a specific code point (e.g. U+XXXXX), and not to include a filled-out proposal summary form.
After you have submitted your proposal, it will be reviewed by the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee, which is responsible for evaluating and approving new emoji submissions. The committee meets regularly to discuss new proposals and make decisions about which ones to add to the Unicode standard.
Step 4: Follow Up and Feedback
After submitting your proposal, staying engaged with the Unicode Consortium and providing any additional information or feedback that may be requested is essential. You may also receive feedback or questions from the Emoji Subcommittee, which you should be prepared to address in a timely manner.
It is important to note that the process of submitting an emoji proposal can be lengthy, and there is no guarantee that your proposal will be accepted. However, by following these steps and submitting a well-crafted proposal, you can increase your chances of having your idea considered for inclusion in the Unicode standard.
Submitting an emoji proposal to the Unicode Consortium is a great way to contribute to the evolving language of emoji and help shape the way people communicate in the digital age. By doing your research, preparing a clear and concise proposal, and following up with feedback and information, you can make your voice heard and potentially add a new and exciting emoji to the Unicode standard.
