Kids are using emojis to hide illicit conversations, warns expert: ‘Snowflake for drugs, ghost for misogyny’

Children and teenagers are using seemingly innocent emojis to secretly communicate about drugs, violence, and explicit content, sparking concerns among parents. Amit Kalley, the founder of For Working Parents, is warning families to stay vigilant, as these symbols can hide risky conversations that go unnoticed.

"The unregulated internet can be very dangerous for our children," Kalley cautioned in an Instagram post. "This issue is too big to ignore, and the Netflix series, ‘Adolescence,’ has brought it to mainstream attention."

The popular show, which premiered earlier this month, follows the story of a teenage boy who secretly uses emojis before being arrested for the murder of a female classmate.

Periodic table of emojis

Kalley's viral "periodic table of emojis" deciphers these coded messages, revealing that emojis can be used to discreetly reference drugs, violence, and explicit activities. For example, a snowflake, 8-ball, or snowman can symbolise cocaine, while a tree, leaf, or branch may indicate marijuana. MDMA is represented by the bill emoji, ketamine by a horse, and magic mushrooms by a red mushroom icon.

Emojis are also used to signal explicit content. "Lust" is symbolized by the flame, sweating, or devil emoji, while "oral sex" is represented by a brain or tongue. Different emojis can indicate genitalia, such as eggplants, hot dogs, cherries, and peaches, while the doughnut emoji can suggest anal sex.

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According to the post, certain symbols also hold more sinister meanings. The gun and knife emojis reference weapons, while the smiley face with X’s over the eyes signifies death or murder. Other emojis, such as the apple, bean, bill, or "100," are linked to the incel community. Neo-Nazi ideology is represented by the hedgehog, lightning bolt, or the numbers "1488," while misogyny can be symbolised by the ghost, goblin, or monster emoji.

Kalley's warning has gained traction, with schools and law enforcement agencies in the UK adopting his emoji table. "The table I created is far from an exhaustive list, but I wanted to include emojis beyond incel and misogyny," he told The Telegraph. "Lots of young people are groomed online into drugs and violence, and many are involved in dangerous sexual behaviours, which they can hide from parents by using emojis and acronyms."

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He emphasised the importance of ongoing awareness: "Emojis and acronyms change, so parents have to keep researching and keep asking the right questions. We need to normalise conversations about the online world with our children."