Picture Prestel was an experimental feature of the videotex service Prestel. It was demonstrated in 1980, while Prestel was already struggling to attract users. Meanwhile, videotex inventions with better graphics started to emerge. Telidon and NAPLPS had vector graphics, Minitel had better textmode graphics, and CAPTAIN had photographics.
Picture Prestel was never really meant to be implemented, at least not until the end of the 80s.
ダーリヤ・フォラーズフール, 2021.
The Japanese emoticon, (^_^), was published by Yasushi Wakabayashi in June 1986 on ASCIInet. The user binbou was using the (‾_‾) emoticon around the same time. Japanese emoticons are also called kaomoji. More info here and here.
:-) and :-( were first made on a computer by Scott E. Fahlman in 1982. Some say they date back as long as 1862 or 1648. Also see the PLATO emoticons/emojis from the 1970s, and the Polish vertical emoticons from 1881.
More emoticon-posts here.
Update, June 2024: There is a text credited to Takeshi Kitano, 1970, that includes emoticons, but it was apparently a joke from 2009.
Amiga ASCII by Dino, while he was in the infamous Skywalkers graffiti crew. From various collies 2000-2002.
A thread called Signpost Gentleman, that ends with Signpost Girls who have a lot less clothes.. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
From Kiiritti Pätsi, an MZ-700 demo by Up Rough and Flush, 2017.
By Debbye Chambers, 1992.
