Given the widespread use of emoticons in electronic communication, an important question is [if / whether] they help internet users to understand emotions in online communication.
Is the usage of "if" correct in this case?
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1No, not really here. It's not ungrammatical, but right after an important question is, one expects an embedded question, and that's what whether is for. It's the wh-word for embedded yes/no questions. That's why whether and if can often be swapped -- both imply only two choices, yes or no. Call me if/whether you see her or not works fine, but not here. – John Lawler Jul 08 '21 at 03:28