The Obama administration — and the State Department in particular — have made a disappointing habit of communicating via hashtags. The most embarrassing example remains the State Department’s #UnitedForUkraine hashtag, which didn’t do much to slow Russia’s incursion. It did, however, inspire Jen Psaki to “hope that the #Kremlin & @mfa_russia will live by the promise of hashtag.”
The Hillary Clinton campaign, while not a government entity, upped the stupid factor recently by asking supporters to tweet, in three emoji or fewer, how their student debt made them feel.
It appears Australia has its own Hillary Clinton problem in the form of foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop, who discovered emoji on her iPhone and chose to append them to nearly every message she sends. Here’s one example:
✈️?? for #AUSMIN with @MarisePayne & to promote ????http://t.co/LuQpGPU5Un
— Julie Bishop (@HonJulieBishop) October 7, 2015
Buzzfeed even convinced Bishop to grant “the world’s first political emoji interview,” in which she answered questions using nothing but emoji.
It turns out not everyone in Australia’s government is as amused as Buzzfeed was when Bishop depicted Vladimir Putin as a frowny red face. (DFAT stands for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.)
Senator Penny Wong questioned DFAT officals about FM Bishop's use of ? emoji to describe Russian President Putin pic.twitter.com/Iyc8bFnJsq
— andrew meares (@mearesy) October 21, 2015
Senator Wong now asking DFAT boss whether emojis are used in diplomatic negotiations. Brandis explaining what emojis are. Relax taxpayers.
— Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) October 21, 2015
Peter Varghese: "No I am not a user of emojis"
— Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) October 21, 2015
Thumbs up!
Wong now questioning what a red face emoji really says about Vladamir Putin. Varghese taking it on notice. #farce. https://t.co/IneOzRsQeu
— Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) October 21, 2015
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One last question about Bishop’s interview with Buzzfeed …
"I've never heard what a Buzzfeed is in my life." Senator Back has the final word on emoji inquisition. #estimates.
— Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) October 21, 2015
And one last zinger from Bishop:
Happy to provide @SenatorWong ? with a translation of emoji to a language Labor understands ?
— Julie Bishop (@HonJulieBishop) October 21, 2015
Back to business, then.
#estimates @SenatorWong questions George on @JulieBishopMP use of emojis @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/QH23rl0Y4A
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) October 21, 2015
We don’t even want to imagine what would happen to Twitter if Bishop became pen pals with Cher.
21 million in modern slavery ?
$150 billion?in illegal profits. Tell governments it’s time to ? modern slavery?? https://t.co/SVJ4FMWYnX— Cher (@cher) October 21, 2015
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