Apple and Microsoft have ‘BANNED this controversial emoji’ amid growing gun control debate
Tech giants reportedly urged emoji regulation body Unicode to ditch icon due to be introduced during The Olympics
Apple and Microsoft have reportedly banned a rifle emoji as a gun control row grips America.
The two tech firms allegedly pushed for the controversial icon to be removed from a line up of emojis due to be released to mark The Olympics.
Members of Unicode, the organisation which governs emoji, voted against rolling out the rifle, as well as a similar icon of a man firing a pistol.
It was due to unveil the rifle so it could be used be people discussing sporting events such as target shooting.
, it took the decision to ditch the gun emoji after Apple allegedly "led and championed" the ban at a meeting to discuss the sport icons.
“I heard Apple speak up about it and also Microsoft,” a tech industry source said.
The rifle emoji has been dogged with criticism since it was first mooted last year.
Chrissie Hall, an activist from the British anti-gun charity InferTrust, suggested "it would offensive to many people who have been injured or affected by gun incidents".
"It would be familiarising and popularising the image of a weapon which is not a good idea," she in October 2015.
Mark Davis, president of the Unicode Consortium, previously said the rifle was intended to be used to discuss sports.
"Some people are bothered by the inclusion of the rifle as a candidate," he told the New York Times.
"But the reason that’s included is because shooting is an Olympic sport."
Apple and Microsoft do not control the Unicode Consortium, but are understood to have a significant effect on its decisions. Both firms are able to make independent decisions on whether to allow certain emojis to be used on their gadgets.
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