10-Year-Old Starts Campaign To Get Apple To Redesign One Of Its Most Popular Emojis

Emoji have become such a normal part of everyday communication that most people barely give them a second thought. Whether it’s a laughing face, a thumbs-up, or a heart, billions of messages are sent every day using tiny digital icons that help people express themselves without typing a single word. But one particular emoji has caught the attention of a 10-year-old boy from Oxfordshire, who believes it sends the wrong message about people who wear glasses and should be redesigned by Apple.

Teddy Cottle has launched a petition calling on the tech giant to change its nerd emoji, arguing that the character is unfair, outdated, and insulting to glasses-wearers. The schoolboy says he was upset when he saw the emoji while texting his cousin and felt it reinforced stereotypes that many people have spent years trying to move away from. Rather than keeping his frustration to himself, Teddy decided to take action, creating his own replacement design and asking Apple to consider a completely different look for one of its most recognizable characters.

Why Teddy Has A Problem With The Nerd Emoji

The emoji at the center of the campaign features large glasses, prominent front teeth, and a wide grin. While it was originally designed to represent a stereotypical “nerd” character, Teddy believes the image unfairly associates wearing glasses with negative labels. As someone who wears glasses every day, he feels the emoji creates an inaccurate impression of what glasses-wearers are actually like.

Teddy says he immediately felt uncomfortable when he saw the emoji and started thinking about how other children might feel when they encounter it. He believes that people who wear glasses should not be represented by exaggerated features that make them appear awkward or strange. In his view, the design belongs to an old stereotype that no longer reflects reality.

“It’s making me feel sad and upset, and if I find it offensive there’ll be thousands of people around the world that find it offensive too,” he said.

The youngster is particularly concerned about children who are getting glasses for the first time and may already feel nervous about wearing them. He believes seeing a character like the nerd emoji could make some children feel self-conscious before they have even had a chance to get used to their new look.

The Alternative Design He Wants Apple To Use

Rather than simply criticizing the existing emoji, Teddy decided to create a replacement that he feels is more positive and representative. He sketched out his own version and gave it a completely different name. Instead of the nerd emoji, he wants Apple to introduce what he calls the “genius emoji.”

His redesign keeps the glasses but removes the oversized front teeth that he dislikes so much. The character also features thinner frames and a simple smile, creating a friendlier appearance that Teddy believes better reflects modern glasses-wearers. The goal is to keep the intelligence and knowledge associated with the character while removing the features he sees as insulting.

“It’s got thin lenses and thin frames, and a little smiley face instead of the horrible rabbit teeth,” he said.

Teddy also wants the name changed because he believes the word “genius” carries a more positive meaning. While the existing emoji leans into a stereotype, his proposed version focuses on intelligence and learning without making fun of a person’s appearance.

How A School Conversation Turned Into A Petition

The campaign began after Teddy shared his concerns with his French teacher, Lisa Baillie. Instead of dismissing the issue as something trivial, she listened to his argument and encouraged him to take practical action. Together, they started a petition at school before expanding the campaign online in the hope of reaching a much larger audience.

Teddy has remained passionate about the issue from the very beginning and has repeatedly argued that Apple should rethink how the emoji is presented. He believes the company has an opportunity to create a character that people who wear glasses can feel positive about instead of one built around an old stereotype.

“We want to change this – Apple are making it absolutely horrible for people wearing glasses,” Teddy said.

“They’re making people think we’re nerds and it’s absolutely horrible.”

The petition quickly attracted attention because of Teddy’s age and the determination he has shown throughout the campaign. What started as a complaint about an emoji has developed into a public effort to persuade one of the world’s largest technology companies to make a change.

His Teacher Says He Fights For What He Believes In

Lisa Baillie says Teddy’s campaign reflects the kind of person he has always been. She described him as curious, thoughtful, and willing to speak up when something does not seem right to him. Rather than simply accepting things as they are, he likes asking questions and looking for ways to improve them.

According to Baillie, one of the most impressive things about Teddy’s campaign has been the maturity with which he has approached it. Instead of making demands, he has tried to explain his concerns and offer a constructive alternative through his redesigned emoji.

“I love Teddy’s inquisitive mind, and the fact he fights for what he believes in,” she said.

“He’s quite vocal about it but in quite a grown-up way, and I think that should be supported, encouraged and commended as well.”

She believes encouraging young people to engage with issues they care about is important and sees Teddy’s campaign as an example of a child putting his ideas into action.

What The Petition Actually Says

In the petition, Teddy lays out his argument in straightforward terms. He says the current emoji is offensive to people who wear glasses and worries that it could affect how young children feel about wearing them. His concerns are not limited to his own experience, as he believes many other people could feel the same way.

The petition also focuses on how the emoji might influence first impressions. Teddy argues that children who are about to receive glasses may already feel anxious about the change, and seeing a character with exaggerated features could make them even more self-conscious.

He wrote: “We think the nerd emoji is offensive and insulting to all those people in the world who wear glasses.”

The petition continues: “We think people who wear glasses are cool and we are worried that people who are getting glasses for the first time will think they are going to look like rabbits or rats.”

Alongside those concerns, Teddy is asking Apple to adopt his redesigned character and officially rename it the genius emoji.

His Family Says The Campaign Is Typical Teddy

Teddy’s mother, Esme, says she was not surprised when she learned about her son’s latest project. She described him as someone who has always been fascinated by learning and eager to understand how the world works. His interests range from documentaries and current affairs to politics and major news stories.

His family says he often forms strong opinions on issues that interest him and is not afraid to voice them. They see the emoji campaign as another example of his willingness to stand up for something he believes is important, even if other people might dismiss it as a small issue.

“He has always been like that, really interested in learning, and he watches a lot of documentaries,” she said.

“I think it’s amazing. He always has very strong opinions about things and I think fighting for what you believe in should be encouraged as we tend to lose this as adults.”

Apple has not publicly commented on Teddy’s proposal. For now, the 10-year-old is continuing to push for change and hopes the company will eventually take notice of his redesigned emoji. Whether or not Apple decides to adopt the idea, Teddy has already succeeded in drawing attention to a digital character that millions of people use every day without ever questioning what it represents.