What is the ruling on using emoticons (emoji) in posters, covers, and forums, and do they fall under the rulings of animate beings? And what is the ruling on butterflies in this context?

There is no harm in using smiling faces (emojis) because they are merely a head without a body, thus not falling under the category of forbidden images. As for butterflies, they are not permissible if they are complete in form, as they represent drawings of animate beings.