International Caps Lock Day celebrated twice a year

Caps Lock is a small button on a computer keyboard that turns English letters into uppercase. While useful for typing, writing entire sentences in capital letters is often compared to shouting online. This habit has inspired a humorous observance known as International Caps Lock Day, celebrated every year on October 22 and June 28. It is not an official international observance but a light-hearted tradition born out of internet culture.

How did the day begin?

International Caps Lock Day was introduced in 2000 by Derek Arnold, a software developer from the United States, to poke fun at the unnecessary use of uppercase letters online.

October 22 is the original date. June 28 was later added as a second observance in memory of American television pitchman Billy Mays, who died on that day in 2009. His loud and energetic style of promoting products was seen as resembling messages written entirely in capital letters.

Why was the Caps Lock key introduced?

The Caps Lock key was designed to make typing uppercase letters easier. On traditional typewriters, users had to hold down the Shift key to type capital letters. Caps Lock made it possible to type in uppercase without repeatedly pressing Shift.

The key is usually located on the left side of a keyboard. When activated, it turns English letters into uppercase, and pressing it again returns them to lowercase. Its effect on Bangla typing depends on the keyboard layout and software being used.

Why is International Caps Lock Day celebrated?

The day is mainly intended to make fun of a common online habit. Messages written entirely in uppercase can appear angry, irritated or as though the sender is shouting.

However, uppercase letters are not always inappropriate. They are useful in headlines, abbreviations and for emphasising particular words. Problems can arise when entire messages are written in capital letters without a clear reason.

How is the day observed?

There are no formal rules for celebrating the day. Internet users share uppercase posts, humorous messages and memes on social media. Some exchange messages with Caps Lock enabled, while others use the occasion to highlight the importance of clear and polite online communication.

Users also mark the occasion with the hashtag *#CapsLockDay*. However, they should remember that excessive use of uppercase letters may make messages seem aggressive.

As technology continues to evolve, this unusual observance shows that digital communication is not just about technology but also about human behaviour and expression. International Caps Lock Day offers a playful reminder to consider how our words may come across to others online.

Source: Days of the Year

-AJM