Just go back to your friends scrapbooks on Orkut and count the number of times you have used smilies. I am afraid if we may have to stop using it in coming months. The latest and hottest news that is creating  waves among netizens is that the Government of Russian patent agency has awarded the rights to own the symbol "" to company out there. Gossips are evolving that in future the smilies may have to be removed out from social networking sites, forums, messengers etc.

"It is a biggest shock to me and I can't let my emotion take control by some one else" told Sony, a class twelfth student. Joseph, owner of a multimedia agency said, " It is a symbol of human emotion and gained so much popularity with public. It cannot be sold to one particular group or company as rights. It is unjustifiable"

But it is too early before we jump to any conclusion. Smilies  have become part and parcel of our messaging style and we cannot pay heavy price for using it every time.