The thumbs-up emoji means 'okay', 'got it' or 'agreed' for most people over 30. For Gen Z, however, it has acquired a passive-aggressive or dismissive feel โ sending a bare thumbs-up to a friend's heartfelt message can come across as cold, sarcastic or annoyed. If your teen complains their friend is mad at them and the only message you can see is a thumbs-up, this is why. There is no malice in adult use of the emoji; it is purely a generational reading difference. Worth knowing so the family group chat doesn't trigger drama.