This New Emoji Actually Sends A Powerful Message About Anti-Bullying

While you've been shooting friends and family taco texts courtesy of the updated emoji keyboard, you may have missed one new character, which has a meaning less clear than the cute cartoon of everyone's favorite rice-and-bean delivery system.

According to WIRED, this emoji, a black speech bubble shaped like an eye, represents the I Am A Witness digital campaign to fight bullying.

Hanna Wittmark, art director at ad agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners where the emoji was designed sees the symbol as a way for victims and allies to make themselves heard.

She told WIRED,

It's a powerful symbol. It says 'I see this, and I'm speaking up. I'm doing something about it.'

GSP brought the design to Apple months prior to the iOS 9.1 release, hoping the company would include it with the over 100 new emoji rolled out with the update.

The initiative also offers custom emoji packages for supporters to communicate with a variety of encouraging messages and symbols.

Citations: THE MEANING BEHIND THAT STRANGE NEW SPEECH BUBBLE EMOJI (Thrillist), The Story Behind That Mysterious Eye Emoji in iOS (WIRED)