Frowny Face: Politician Moves to Ban Gay Emoji in Russia
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iStock/Thinkstock(MOSCOW) — Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications is investigating complaints from a Russian senator who thinks emoji depicting people in “non-traditional” sexual relationships are corrupting his country’s family values.
The Senator, Mikhail Marchenko, claims the emoji, found on social media sites like Facebook, violate a 2013 law against so-called “gay propaganda,” according to a report by the Russian newspaper Izvestia. That law gives authorities the power to block or censor websites that it says “promote homosexuality.”
Marchenko claims emoji like “Two Men Holding Hands” denies “family values” and shows “disrespect for parents and other family members.”
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