Snapchat is in trouble yet again, this time for a filter that many saw as a racist Asian caricature, according to Mic. The filter distorted the user’s face, also giving them slits for eyes, reddened cheeks and enlarged teeth.
People immediately took to social media, calling the filter “overly-racist” and clearly “targeting Asians.”
Dear @Snapchat , thanks for the overly-racist new filter…when can we expect Blackface? pic.twitter.com/vKZn18NDYM
— Brian (@bkisnah) August 9, 2016
Snapchat told Verge that the filter was inspired by anime and meant to be entirely innocent. However, the resemblances to stereotypical ‘yellowface’ caricatures are undeniable, and Snapchat agreed to remove the filter for good.
This isn’t the first time Snapchat’s had to apologize for a filter—They were accused of “digital blackface” for their 4/20 Bob Marley filter, and many criticized the seemingly “pretty” filter for lightening people’s skin. It might be time for the app to take a closer look at their creative process, as the right team could probably easily catch these offensive filters before they make their way to the public. The Guardian reports that Snapchat has repeatedly declined to release numbers on the diversity of their employees.