Bizzare Facts

The emotional landscape of the digital world, now dominated by millions of colorful emojis, began with a simple, three-character text sequence. The world's first **emoticon**, the sideways smiling face **:-) **, was officially proposed on **September 19, 1982**, by computer scientist **Scott Fahlman** on a Carnegie Mellon University message board. The need for it was surprisingly serious.

Fahlman and his colleagues were struggling with miscommunication. When they posted a joke, other users often mistook the post for a serious statement, leading to confusion and arguments. Fahlman proposed the sequence—which you read by tilting your head to the side—to act as a clear 'joke marker' or a 'smilely face' to signal that the message was not to be taken literally.

He also immediately suggested the counter-sequence **:-(** for non-jokes, or 'frowny faces.' This creation marked the birth of an entirely new form of linguistic expression, providing the crucial missing link for tone and emotion that text communication lacked. The simple two-dot, one-dash sequence defined the way we express irony, humor, and emotion in the digital sphere.