Body Language

On the Teams app, there are 5 emoji reactions that can be deployed mid-call in a meeting: applause, thumbs up, “surprised,” laughing, and heart. Effectively, as an audience member, the digital infrastructure won’t stand in your way to showing adoring support.

Having seen how apps’ design can be weaponized or misused, this is something I can get behind. Youtube removed the dislike button, so creators wouldn’t get harassed. It feels appropriate that a tool for collaboration should keep things positive.

All the same, it reminds me of the removal of negative words and specific language in Orwell’s 1984. Instead of something being “bad,” it’s “ungood.” Something isn’t “great",” it’s “doubleplusgood.” How can you stage a resistance if you don’t have the language for it?

This isn’t to suggest that Teams should add a “throwing tomato” or “boo” option (although that would be pretty hilarious), it’s just to point out the tilt of this form of digital communication. It’s designed to maintain the status quo. Good vibes, all positive. Harmless.