You may have noticed that your Facebook has been flooded with little cartoons popping out to say “hi”. This is because Facebook has launched avatars in South Africa, and people can’t get enough of them.
The avatars are customisable cartoon versions of yourself. Similar to Apple’s Memoji, users can create custom hairstyles, skin complexions, clothes and more.
While still quite purposeless, the avatars are fun and clearly allow people an outlet for their pent up creativity. Facebook are trying to give them some relevance by allowing you to use it as an alternative to a Facebook profile photo.
The benefit here is that it actually adding an element of privacy to your account so that strangers can’t stalk you if you’ve closed up your profile properly. So, while Facebook may know everything about you, at least strangers can’t steal your photo.
How to create your own
To create your own, ensure your Facebook and Messenger apps are up to date.
Then navigate to the comment composer on either app, click on the smiley button and select the sticker tab. There you will find the option to create your personal avatar.
Facebook users can also use the avatar as their profile picture, use it on a gaming profile or share it to their newsfeed.
