Snapchat removed a face filter meant to commemorate Juneteenth after users called out the tech giant for being “tone-deaf.”
The filter prompted users to smile, after which chains would break behind them. The filter had the Pan-African flag as the backdrop.
The filter was pointed out by Mark Luckie, a digital strategist, on Twitter. He called it “interesting,” clearly questioning the choice.
“This SnapChat #Juneteenth filter is…um…interesting. Smile to break the chains? Okay then,” Luckie wrote.
Juneteenth is a holiday dating back to 1865 celebrating when slaves in Texas found out about the Emancipation Proclamation two years after it has been signed.
Snapchat did not immediately respond to a request for comment by the Daily Dot. We’ll update this story if we hear back.
The filter was axed by Snapchat on Friday, according to CNBC, but not before a lot of people online criticized it, calling it “tone-deaf.”
@smtv_97/Twitter
@smtv_97/Twitter
@MsChavN/Twitter
This isn’t the first time the company’s face filters have raised criticism.
It’s gender-swap filter, a Bob Marley blackface filter for 4/20, and others have also faced backlash.
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*First Published: Jun 19, 2020, 11:50 am
Andrew Wyrich
Andrew Wyrich is the deputy tech editor at the Daily Dot. Andrew has written for USA Today, NorthJersey.com, and other newspapers and websites. His work has been recognized by the Society of the Silurians, Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE), and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).
Source : https://www.dailydot.com/debug/snapchat-juneteenth-filter-chaines/