Following Weibo, Tencent removes "smoking" emoji from mobile QQ

Tencent has removed the "smoking" emoji from its mobile QQ portfolio.

Smoking emoji removed from Tencent's QQ, replaced by a new image with an emoji with a leaf in its mouth. [Photo: Weibo]

This follows an earlier move by Weibo to ditch the emoji, reports the Beijing Youth Daily.

The emoji showed a character with a cigarette in its lips, and was activated by typing in "leisure."

It's since been replaced on mobile devices by a new image with a piece of green leaf in the character's lips.

The emoji is still active on Tencent's WeChat app on mobile devices, as well as on desktop computers.

Reports suggest the Beijing Tobacco Control Association has written to Tencent to call for the removal of the emoji, saying it is not suitable to promote a smoking emoji as "cool" or "leisure."

In September, Sina Weibo removed the "smoking" emoji from its platform.

A GIF shows a hand removing the cigarette from the "cool" emoji on Weibo. [Photo: thepapper.cn]

"The act of smoking is not cool or fashionable at all. It's an obvious mistake to equate smoking with 'being cool.'" said Zhang Jianshu, President of the Beijing Tobacco Control Association.