You have been looking forward to the release of your favorite show all week. With snacks in one hand, a drink in the other, you are ready to unwind — but there is a problem. Your latest TV streaming obsession is now regionally restricted. So you frantically text your most tech-savvy friend to ask if there is a way around this, and they reply with: 

:slightly_smiling_face:on!_arrow:disguided_face:unlocked:on!_arrow:locked:globe_showing americas:on!_arrow:globe_showing_asia-australia:hundred_points: 

From the string of emojis, it seems that there is a solution that will mask your online presence, unlock any restricted websites, and access content from around the world. 

Yes, it took us a minute to get it, too. 

At ExpressVPN, we know VPNs can be hard to explain and we want to change that. In honor of World Emoji Day this Saturday, July 17, we’re asking you to join us in bringing attention to the critical issue of internet privacy by petitioning for the creation of a VPN emoji. 

Introducing a VPN emoji does not just make communication easier, but it also pushes us one step closer to normalizing online privacy and digital security. For everyone.  

We believe everyone should be able to browse the internet freely and safely. Whether you want to look at cute animal photos, enjoy the shows you love wherever you are in the world, or even just go about your business safely and securely, online privacy is a fundamental right that deserves emoji representation. 

If you’d like to support the cause, please sign your name. If we reach 10,000 signatures, we’ll move forward with submitting an official application to the Unicode Consortium to request the inclusion of a VPN emoji. After all, how can the internet not have an emoji of its tireless guardian protector?

Once you've signed the petition, let us know how you would explain what a VPN does using standard emojis only by tagging us on social media @expressvpn and using the #vpnemoji. There’s a year’s worth of ExpressVPN up for grabs for the submissions we think best capture the essence of a VPN.