Netflix’s four-part British miniseries ‘Adolescence’ is one of the most powerful pieces of TV you’re likely to see this year. It’s raw and honest in its portrayal of social issues such as male rage, toxic masculinity, misogyny, male supremacy influencers, bullying, indoctrination, crime, mental health, social media, and poor parenting. It’s deeply uncomfortable to watch. It’s truly devastatingly emotional.
And it’s making some parents worried that they might not notice the problems their children are dealing with, and who they’re influenced by, until it’s far too late. Social media, online communication, slang, and emojis—which reveal more than adults might think at first glance—form a core part of the story in ‘Adolescence.’ Today, we’re looking at some of the hidden meanings that certain emojis have, as shared by law enforcement. Scroll down to take a look.
Therapist and parenting expert Jenny Warwick, who is accredited with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), was kind enough to share her thoughts with Bored Panda about how parents can talk to their children about the dangers of online culture.
Meanwhile, Daniel Gerrard, the CEO of national addiction treatment experts The UKAT Group, which treats young people aged 16+ for social media addiction, also shed some light on this issue. You'll find both experts' insights as you read on.
Warning: there will be some minor spoilers about the plot of ‘Adolescence’ ahead.
The TV series 'Adolescence' tackles incredibly sensitive topics such as toxic masculinity, social media influence, mental health, and male rage
Image credits: Netflix
It’s no surprise if you’ve heard about ‘Adolescence,’ the TV show has been dominating the media after its recent release.
Putting aside the stellar acting and camerawork for a moment, it’s the type of series that doesn’t hold back and tackles incredibly sensitive issues and the consequences they have on society head-on.
The show follows the arrest of a 13-year-old boy, Jamie, after the stabbing of a teenage girl. Over the course of 4 episodes, the series looks at how this devastating crime affects different parts of society.
Lead investigator DI Luke Bascombe doesn't quite understand the hidden meanings of emojis, which takes his investigation in a different direction
Image credits: Netflix
In the second episode of ‘Adolescence,’ there’s a scene where lead investigator DI Luke Bascombe’s son pulls him aside to explain how he’s been embarrassingly floundering in his investigation because he doesn’t really get how social media communication works in this day and age.
The teenager takes the time to walk his dad through the real meanings behind seemingly innocent emojis, including pills, beans, and how different-colored hearts can imply very different things, etc.
In the show, one important aspect of the story is the hidden meaning of certain emojis. Here's a list of some meanings of emojis, as shared by the Surrey Police
Image credits: Surrey Police
Meanwhile, here's a recent list of emojis and how they're used, as compiled by the Australian Federal Police
Image credits: The Australian Federal Police
The first episode looks at Jamie’s arrest during an early morning raid, as well as his processing at the police station. The second episode follows DI Bascombe as he visits Jamie’s school. The third episode looks at a child psychologist’s attempts to figure out what makes the suspect tick. The fourth and final episode follows Jamie’s family and the fallout of their son’s arrest. (The entire show is worth watching, but if you’re pressed for time, the third one is the most powerful, from our perspective.)
The show's plot revolves around the arrest of 13-year-old Jamie (right)
Image credits: Netflix
Slang and the meanings behind certain emojis change over time and depend on culture, context, and location. These meanings can also differ between social groups in the same geographic area, as different people attach different meanings to emojis and abbreviations.
So, it’s no wonder that not everyone will immediately be able to decipher the real meanings of specific emojis. You need to spend time within a particular social group to truly understand their thinking. Or, like in the show, you need an insider to walk you through things that might seem obvious to some while leaving others completely oblivious or misinterpreting things.
In 'Adolescence,' lead investigator DI Bascombe’s son explains to him how certain emojis are used by his peers
The pill emoji can refer to someone being 'red-pilled' (i.e., exhibiting misogynistic points of view); the beans can refer to someone being an incel (involuntarily celibate)
In the show, red hearts can mean love, purple can mean that someone is h*rny, yellow means "I'm interested, are you interested?", pink can mean that someone's interested but not in intercourse, and orange means "you're going to be fine"
‘Adolescence’ is being hailed as a landmark TV show. Writer Jack Thorne told BBC Radio 4 that the goal was to “look in the eye of male rage” as the central character, Jamie, has been “indoctrinated by voices” like Andrew Tate’s and “voices a lot more dangerous” than him, too.
Erin Doherty, who plays a child psychologist in one episode, has some of the most emotional scenes in the entire series
Image credits: Netflix
Actress Erin Doherty, who plays a child psychologist in the third episode, had this to say to BBC Radio 4: “This show has the bravery to just peel back the layers and go, let's talk about this thing, because we're still dealing with it today. There are still issues cropping up in the news today.”
She continued: “So all we can hold ourselves accountable for is having the discussion, and hopefully that's what it does. It just allows parents, aunties, uncles, even just friends, to engage in the conversation.”
Many emojis have meanings that aren't immediately apparent. For instance, the clown face might indicate that someone is feeling like a fraud
Parents ought to encourage open conversations with their children without judgment
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
According to BACP accredited therapist and parenting expert Warwick, parents need to see discussions about the dangers of online culture, especially concerning the incel (involuntarily celibate) movement as ongoing rather than one-off conversations.
"Keep an open and curious mindset; you want to encourage an open conversation with no judgment, just curiosity. You could ask questions like 'What do you think about how some people talk about gender online?' When they see that you provide them with a safe space to talk openly, they know they can come to speak to you without fear of punishment—even about content they've come across that's disturbing," she said.
"Work with what the school curriculum covers about healthy, respectful relationships, discuss gender equality, and highlight the echo chamber effect of social media. Help them to diversify their feeds and work against the algorithms that are reinforcing these extreme views. And encourage the critical thinking side of their brain by encouraging them to question sources and motives behind online content. Extremist groups amplify victim narratives or 'us' versus 'them'—help your children recognize these manipulation techniques."
Warwick explained that being involved and interested in your children's online lives is something you can do at any age. It's never too late to be more involved. "Showing an interest in what they're doing builds trust. Rather than viewing it as a battle or that you have to spy on them ask them to share their favorite sites and influencers. You might be tempted to take all screens away and block every site, but taking a more measured approach will work much better," she said.
"You know your child best; if you notice a change in their personality, where they seem overly angry, frustrated, or withdrawn, it indicates it's time to talk with them"
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
"Talk with them about tools like screen time limits and content filters to encourage them to work their way, but they will need your support. Social media is designed to keep you scrolling—it's hard enough for an adult mind to keep limits, but it's incredibly challenging for adolescents. Monitoring software can be helpful, but it shouldn't replace open communication. Working together on this is the way forward. Agree on clear family rules about online activity—that goes for your online activity, too! Show them what balanced screen habits look like by modeling your healthy tech use and fact-checking before sharing content."
Warwick also shared some practical advice for parents who may be on the lookout for signs and behavior patterns that might indicate a problem. "You know your child best; if you notice a change in their personality, where they seem overly angry, frustrated, or withdrawn, it indicates it's time to talk with them. Defensive or secretive behavior when asked about their online activity should be paid attention to," she said.
The expert gave an example: "If you notice them switching screens when you enter the room, deleting browsing history, or using multiple anonymous accounts—these are red flags that there could be a problem. You might also notice that they're less interested in their offline life: school engagement, interactions with their real-life friends, or hobbies they used to enjoy."
Here are some questions that worried parents should be mindful of when considering their children's behavior: "Are they expressing strong resentment towards women and girls and fixating on gender and power dynamics? Are they becoming more cynical and hostile? Having a victim mentality or worldview rather than taking responsibility, blaming others for their personal struggles? Are they showing an increased interest in online figures promoting misogynistic views?"
"Showing your teenage child your vulnerability in the subject matter should tap into their empathy and love towards you as their parent and should result in an open and honest conversation"
Image credits: rawpixel.com / freepik (not the actual photo)
Bored Panda reached out to the UK Addiction Treatment Centres team for advice for parents who worry about connecting with their teenage children, creating a relationship built on trust and transparency, and talking to them about the negative effects of social media.
"Parents worrying about whether they can have genuine connections with their teenage children is an extremely valid emotion to feel, but there are ways to overcome this concern," Gerrard, the CEO of The UKAT Group, said.
"Assuming your child's day-to-day problems are going to be anything like what you faced when you were a teenager is a pitfall to avoid because you'll never be able to relate to them. Therefore, accepting that they need to educate you will help foster positive connections," he explained.
"Perhaps talking to them about real world events and gaining their opinion on the matter will give you an insight into how they think and feel," Gerrard said.
"Debating the potential cruelty behind social media and the world of influencers with them could be healthy in understanding whether they see it to be a potential worry to them, and then you could use this conversation starter as a way of asking them how they find social media works for them, what is everyone using it for nowadays, perhaps ask them if they've ever been influenced, and how and why do they think that happened?"
Gerrard said that parents should make sure that their children feel like they're educating them, and "not the other way around."
"Showing your teenage child your vulnerability in the subject matter should tap into their empathy and love towards you as their parent and should result in an open and honest conversation. However, we'd also advise reading up on these matters in your own time using trusted news and information sites, so that in your conversation with your teenager, once the barrier is down and you're communicating, you can 'hold your own' with the knowledge you've learned."
Here's what some internet users said after watching 'Adolescence'
Meanwhile, here's what some people had to say about the use of emojis
What are your thoughts on ‘Adolescence’? How did the series impact you? Are you at all worried about the effect that social media and influencers can have on children? If you’re a parent, what do you do to connect with your children and foster a relationship based on transparency and trust? Have you ever had trouble deciphering the hidden meanings of emojis? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.