Facebook Removes 'Feeling Fat' Emoticon Over Protests

This week, Facebook removed its "feeling fat" emoticon after an online petition urged the website to see that "fat is not a feeling," reports the Verge.

Petition signers argued that the double-chinned emoticon was "encouraging negative body image among girls." In particular, protestors noted that the use of that particular emoticon made it possible to make fun of people who are considered overweight, and could potentially reinforce the negative body attitudes of those who suffer from eating disorders.

In a statement, Facebook described the decision to remove the "fat" icon.

"We've heard from our community that listing 'feeling fat' as an option for status updates could reinforce negative body image, particularly for people struggling with eating disorders," announced Facebook. "So we're going to remove 'feeling fat' from the list of options. We'll continue to listen to feedback as we think about ways to help people express themselves on Facebook."