Emoji have been popping up as pivotal evidence in legal proceedings ranging from real estate to drugs and sexual predation. The informal field of "emoji forensics" has lead to new caselaw about the meaning of some "non-textual" communication. But these waters are muddy due to legal interpretation, rapidly evolving Internet slang, and the many cultural meanings attributed to emoji symbols — not to mention that emoji may look completely different, depending on what software is displaying them, making it difficult to prove intent in court.

Alli and Lindsey talk with Eric Goldman, a professor of law at Santa Clara University and co-director of the High Tech Law Institute, where he specializes in Internet law and intellectual property, especially as it relates to Silicon Valley. Eric has a special fascination with emoji, and shares the most popular symbols appearing in court, and how the law is adapting to disputes happening inside our text messages.

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