Although many of us use the internet every day and are familiar with it by now, some quirks make us raise an eyebrow. One of those quirks is the “obj” character, which occasionally appears on Facebook. Have you ever wondered what “obj” mean on Facebook? In this article, we will let you know what does OBJ mean on Facebook and how to get rid of it.
Even though “obj” appears on the Facebook application from time to time, it doesn’t explain what this means, frustrating certain iOS and android users. In this article, we demystify this quirk of the internet and explain in detail what “obj” means on Facebook.
What Does OBJ Mean on a Facebook Post?
You may see the letters “obj” when reading a particular post. They typically occur as boldened characters inside a dashed box of broken lines. Most people may choose to ignore this and move on. But for others, it is quite a headscratcher.
Simply put, “OBJ” is short for “object.” As a Facebook user, it represents an “object replacement character.” This is simply internet jargon showing that obj is Unicode for a character that cannot be displayed on your screen for one reason or another. Get it?
Why do I see OBJ On Facebook?
If you are wondering why you keep seeing the “obj” symbol on your Facebook posts, think of it as a placeholder. It means you’re supposed to be seeing something else. But because your phone cannot render it for some reason, Facebook places “obj” there as a replacement.
For example, if you were supposed to see an emoji as part of someone’s Facebook post, but for some reason, your phone cannot render that emoji, Facebook places the “obj” symbol in place of that emoji. It is a symbol that every device can render. And it is supposed to signal to the user that something is missing.
How Do I Get Rid of OBJ On Facebook?
When you see obj as part of a Facebook post, it isn’t necessarily a sign that there’s something wrong with Facebook. It could be, although nine out of ten times, the problem is with you, not Facebook.
If you keep seeing it though, do not despair. There are various ways to get rid of it, and we discuss them in depth below.
1. Update your Facebook app
This is one of the most straightforward fixes you can try when you have this problem.
Your Facebook app is outdated and does not have the capacity to render some of the newer symbols that other users are adding to their posts. And so, by Updating your Facebook App, you may gain an updated character library and stop seeing “obj” in place of all these other symbols on your social media posts.
2. Update your phone OS software
Modern smartphones now have their own operating systems. And these device operating systems need to be updated regularly. For people with automatic software updates turned on, they barely need to keep track of this. But for some who need to update manually, may forget to get the latest version from time to time.
Failing to update your OS still keeps the phone usable. But the fact that the OS is outdated manifests itself in little things like the “obj” symbol. And so, by updating your OS, you will gain access to a lot of new features that will help you render every post correctly.
These two methods are typically very effective for getting rid of the OBJ symbol or object. But sometimes, even after using them, it still doesn’t work. And the foremost reason isn’t necessarily a software issue.
Well, in these situations, what you need to realize is that it is not your fault. There are so many different software and hardware for accessing the internet. And these operate at different levels sometimes. Call it a software bug if you want.
For instance, an Android device may have access to a whole new suite of emojis that a person using an Apple device does not. In these situations, there’s not much you can do as an iPhone user.
But both Google and Apple are adamant about keeping their stuff up to date. So, within a few days or weeks, you’ll likely receive an update that lets you render these new symbols or emojis without seeing the “obj” error.
The “obj” dotted box is helpful because it lets us know what is missing and the nature of this omission. It is a text placeholder part of UNICODE or The Universal Code of Character Sets. If not for this Unicode object replacement character, each phone or social media app would have a different way of signaling that something is missing. This Unicode character is way better than a blank space on your Facebook feed or Instagram post.
Don’t be frustrated if you keep seeing it without any software fault. In time, you can render all these lovely emojis, enthralling emojis, wonderful emojis, and other new emojis without much trouble.
Related: How to see deleted posts on Facebook?
Why do so many apps use the OBJ symbol?
If you are observant, you would have noticed that the “obj” emoji appears on other text apps besides Facebook. People’s posts on many social media platforms are full of these “obj” boxes. Well, in such cases, the main reason for this is the Unicode consortium.
This consortium keeps track of all common symbols and unique characters that appear on our different software and assigns them a unique number. So, if you ever have a system update or updated emoji library, these otherwise unspecified objects receive unique numbers that keep track of them across various apps and devices.
So, the letters “obj” have become a standard of representation of the universal code of characters that are the best way to know if special characters are just not available on the font software libraries of your iOS devices or android phones.
When next you experience this technical issue with new posts or text messages, a better understanding of this obj issue and the common reasons it happens will stop you from panicking or thinking you have a software problem.
We hope you now know what does OBJ mean on Facebook. If you have any questions leave us a comment in the box below.
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