Show support for others with Facebook's new 'hug' emoji during coronavirus pandemic
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — One of the most frustrating and devastating things about the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting shutdowns and social distancing directives is that people can’t be there for each other.
Isolation during the COVID-19 crisis has certainly made the entire situation much more difficult for everyone. Those that have lost jobs, those that have lost loved ones and those that want to care have few ways to reach out, and even then, it’s impossible to share a hug through a computer screen.
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For this reason, Facebook is making an effort to do its part during the pandemic to help everyone desperate for a way to show support for others. On Friday, the company’s EMEA communications manager Alexandru Voica announced that the social media platform would launch “Care” reactions on its app and on messenger.
The new reaction for the app is in addition to the existing six and features and features a small bubble emoji person hugging a heart.
Adorable? Yes. Plus, it gives everyone already using social media to fill the time another way to show they care.
“We hope these reactions give people additional ways to show their support during the COVID-19 crisis,” Voica said in a tweet.
Another reaction launched for Messenger is a purple heart that Voica says allows people to show “extra love and care to their friends and family.”
As for the heart-hugging reaction, Fidji Simi, the head of the Facebook app, told The National,"As we've spoken with people about the kinds of emotions they want to convey in relation to posts they see in their NewsFeed, Hug is one of the most frequently suggested ideas."
The new reaction is expected to roll out sometime this week.