Emoji of red flags are all over Twitter. Here's why - CNET

It's a new viral trend that has tweeters using the red flag emoji to signal opinions and behaviors that raise, well, red flags. AWSoutage AlexaTogether TheMatrixAwakens Bestmoviesof2021 BestChristmasgifts2021 PS5restocktracker EmojiofredflagsarealloverTwitter.Here'swhy Twitterusershavealotofwarnings. ErinCarson Oct.14,202111:06a.m.PT Redflagsareeverywhere. GettyImages Ifyou'venoticedimagesofredflagsfillingupyourTwitterfeed,you'renotalone.Theplatformisburstingwithwarningsaboutanythingyoucanthinkof.It'sanewviraltrendthathastweetersusingtheredflagemojitosignalopinionsandbehaviorsthatraise,well,redflags.Notabaseballfan?Redflag.Promiseyou'llpaysomeonebacklater?Redflag.Topyourpizzawithpineapple?Redflag.Theplatformsaysit'sseena455%increaseoverthelastweekintweetsusingtheemojiintheUS.Tuesdaysaw1.5millionred-flag-emojitweetsglobally. GettheCNETHowTonewsletter Receiveexperttipsonusingphones,computers,smarthomegearandmore.DeliveredTuesdaysandThursdays. Frompeoplecautioningaboutworrisomebehaviorfromaprospectivedate,tobrandstryingtocapitalizeonthetrend,here'stherundownontherowsofredflagsfillingupyourtimeline.Whatdoalltheredflagsmean?OutsideTwitter,thephraseredflagisusedasawarning.Merriam-Websterdefinesredflagasa"warningsignalorsign,"or"somethingthatindicatesordrawsattentiontoaproblem,danger,orirregularity."Thedictionarypinpointsthefirstusageofredflagasanoundatingbackto1748.Thankstotheredflagemoji,Twitteruserscanjustpunctuateatweetwiththesymbol,orevenuseawholerowofthemtoshowsomethingistroublesome.  Howdidtheredflagtrendstart?AccordingtotheMarySue,thetrendstartedamongBlackTwitterusersthisweekwhoweretalkingaboutredflagsindating.Thetweetscoveredthingslikesomeonewho'salwaysonlinebutisslowtotextback;someonesayingthey'restillfriendswiththeirex,or"goingalldaywithouttalkingtome."Atweetcallingoutthelatterisoneofthetopretweetedtweetsofthistrend,rakinginmorethan28,000retweetssofar.  goingalldaywithouttalkingtome🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—INA(@inaflorescaa)October12,2021 TEXTSLOWBUTALWAYSONSOCIALMEDIA🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—PEGEE(@VH1PNUT___)October12,2021 “meandmyexarestillfriends”🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—🧘🏾‍♀️(@mykelrenee)October12,2021 Thoughnotalways,manyofthetweetsareformattedasquotesfollowedbytheflags.Whatarepeoplewarningeachotherabout?Inshort,everything.Peoplearetweetingopinionsonsports,food,movies,music,politicsandmorethattheyfindtobeproblematic.Notallthetweetsareserious;manyofthemarejokes.OneTwitterusertweeted:"MyfavoritemovieisFightClub." “MyfavouritemovieisFightClub.”🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—AndresGhoulsman(@pocketwriter)October13,2021 Anothertweeted:"MyteamistheDallasCowboys." "MyteamistheDallasCowboys"🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—jordangrimes☯️(@jordanxtsg)October13,2021 CelebritychefPadmaLakshmitweetedthataredflagforherwouldbesomeonesaying,"Idon'tlikeIndianfood." “Idon’tlikeIndianfood”🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—PadmaLakshmi(@PadmaLakshmi)October13,2021 “Imnotreallyonsocialmedia”🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—Kozza(@Kozza)October13,2021 Fromsportsteamstorestaurants,brandsarealsogoingallinonthetrend,likethePGATourflagging,"Golfisnotarealsport." "Golfisnotarealsport."🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—PGATOUR(@PGATOUR)October13,2021 “Idon’tkeepupwithpopmusic”🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—MTV(@MTV)October13,2021 "I'mnotaCrocsperson"🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—It'sCroctober!(@Crocs)October13,2021 “Nothanks,Idon’twantanyTubbyCustard!”🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩—Teletubbies(@TeletubbiesHQ)October13,2021