“LOL” is the universally accepted letters implying laughter (though recent trends say it should really mean “lack of laughter” since texters are rarely laughing when they type it).
Take a scroll through your recent text messages. When was the last time you typed out this trite expression? According to a recent study conducted by Facebook, statistics say you rarely use “LOL” and instead have replaced it with another form of virtual laughter (and yes, Facebook is now conducting research, the first of many steps in their attempt to rule the world).
If you’ve noticed you’ve stopped using “LOL,” you aren’t alone. Those three little letters are dying out and being replaced by other forms of laughter.
Instead, people are using other expressions to show hilarity online:
Emojis are catching up fast:
While researchers found that “haha” has far surpassed the ongoing streak of “LOL,” emojis may be closing in quickly. Instead of typing out a word or phrase to express laughter, many texters are simply using the Japanese inspired image to express feeling. It conveys an image much better than your average “haha,” or even a typical, “hehe.”
This trend isn’t limited to one area. Cities across the United States are dropping “LOL” like it’s a needy ex-boyfriend and moving over to the emoji fan club. Facebook plotted the kinds of laughter people are using in varying cities, and as a rule of thumb, most are opting out of saying “LOL,” and preferring emojis or “Haha.”
Where do you fit in with the changing laughter climate? Have you jumped ship and boarded the emoji bus, or are you still riding the wave of “LOL?”
[Featured Image Credit: Huffington Post]