THE SILENT SEMIOTICS OF EMOJIS: A MULTIMODAL FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF DIGITAL DISCOURSE IN CRIMINAL COMMUNICATION

Abstract

This paper examines the unfelt, yet potent role of emojis in digital criminal discourse on a multimodal forensic linguistic scope. The use of emojis as a means of communication on the Internet is developing more and more widely, and the manifestations of its use in crimes related to threats, blackmail, and cyberbullying should be studied systematically. This study integrates semiotics, pragmatics, and forensic linguistics because they show how emojis are used as an undercover feature to convey threats, conceal intention, and avoid linguistic control by monitoring systems. The analysis of authentic samples of criminal messages on digital platforms, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and X, uses the concept of multimodal discourse analysis, which enables the researcher to trace semiotic patterns and communicate functions of emojis in illegitimate situations. Finally, the study will seek to establish a forensic framework that can contribute towards the interpretation of evidence based on emojis to improve the ability of law enforcement and digital forensic analysts in addressing the issues of cybercrime.