Snapchat is unlike any other app- it allows you to take pictures and short videos and share it with all of your friends (before it self destructs after a 24-hour period). It even allows you to add cute filters onto your face like dog ears and flower crowns.
However, in the midst of experimenting with different filters, Snapchat has gotten itself into some trouble over the years for being racist and sexist for their renditions of people in an attempt to honor them.
Bob Marley
In April of 2016, Snapchat made a filter that attempts to honor late reggae musician Bob Marley. This filter gave users a dark-tint face with dreadlocks and Rasta-colored head wear. Snapchat stated that the filter was designed in partnership with the Bob Marley Estate as a way to show their appreciation for his life accomplishments and music career.
The filter was made available on 4/20 (April 20th), an informal holiday that celebrates marijuana, which Marley used as a part of his Rastafarian religion. Marley’s legacy was reduced to being just a pot smoker on the day the filter was released.
- The Bob Marley filter released by Snapchat on April 20th, 2016.
The Snapchat community became furious with the company’s use of blackface in their filter. Blackface originally comes from the 19th century, when black actors weren’t allowed to perform to white audiences. So, white performers would use paint or burnt cork to darken their skin. They used this makeup to exaggerate features and ridicule African Americans. Blackface was used to perpetuate stereotypes.
If Snapchat wanted to honor him, they could have done it through the use of his accomplishments, such as the use of his songs.
Yellowface
Just four months after the Bob Marley incident, Snapchat uploaded another type of filter, one many considered to be a crude representation of yellowface, or Asian stereotyping. This filter included squinting eyes, chibi-like round face, blushing cheeks, and buck teeth. The filter was ultimately removed. It’s unclear if it was pulled because of the controversy, or if it was a one-day limited edition filter. Snapchat said that the filter was meant to be a playful take on anime characters, explaining that filters are meant to be playful and never to offend.
Twitter user Grace confronts Snapchat about its racist yellowface filter
Another outraged Twitter user named Grace Sparapani was outraged with the filter as well. In a direct Twitter message to USA Today, she states,
“Definitely gives the impression that Asian features (caricatured and taken to extremes) aren’t just available to be tried on, but encouraged to be mocked as well.”
There are plenty of more clear ways to portray anime characters rather than relying on Asian stereotypes. In fact, anime characters, for the most part, look a lot different than yellowface portrayals.
An example of many different types and kinds of anime styles
International Women’s Day
On March 8th, 2017, Snapchat released filters that were meant to represent iconic women in history, such as Frida Kahlo, Marie Curie, and Rosa Parks. Snapchat collaborated with the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self- Development and the Frida Kahlo Corporation in designing the animated filters.
While some users praised the filters for recognizing these women, others criticized them for altering their looks.
User Shannon Doleski showing excitement for Snapchat’s International Women’s Day filters
Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo was a female Mexican Artist, best known for her self portrait. For International Women’s Day, Frida’s filter gave users her recognizable look- a set of thick eyebrows, red lips, a flower headband, and an updo hairstyle. However, the filter appeared to lighten her skin, causing uproar of claims of whitewashing the artist.
The Frida Kahlo Snapchat filter was applied on top of the preexisting self- portrait, changing the original image to a lighter skin tone.
The Guardian came out with an article in which they applied the Frida filter onto the reference material- the self portrait. When it was applied, the filter lightened the artist’s skin. Author Julia Carrie Wong continued by stating,
“Kahlo, who was of mixed indigenous and European heritage, painted herself with brown skin and dark eyes. Much of her work engaged with indigenous themes and imagery.”- Julia Carrie Wong, The Guardian
Marie Curie
Marie Curie was a Nobel Prize winning French- Polish physicist. Her International Women’s Day filter consisted of multiple colored test tubes, bubbling beakers, and small explosions that resulted in scribbles of equations. To others, the most recognizable part about this filter was that “Marie” was shown with a thinner face, smoky eye shadow, and false lashes. Many users called out Snapchat, deeming the beauty features on Marie as being unnecessary.
Twitter user Katy St. Clair uploaded a photo of her using the Marie Curie filter and commented,
“Shoutout to @Snapchat for adding eyelashes to the Marie Curie filter. Forgot that’s what she was famous for. #InternationalWomensDay” -Katy St. Clair, (@Selfies_AndCats).
Katy St. Clair showing off Snapchat’s Marie Curie filter.
Rosa Parks
Although there was backlash for changing Frida and Marie’s appearances, there was even more backlash for NOT changing Rosa Park’s appearance in her filter. This Snapchat filter included Rosa’s hat, tied back hair, glasses, and a quote that said, “You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right”.
Twitter user Madison added a photo of herself in the Rosa Parks filter and stated,
“Weird that Snapchat didn’t feel the need to make Rosa Parks hot for #InternationalWomensDay.” – Madison M.K. (@4evrmalone)
Madison M.K. shows herself posing with the Rosa Parks filter for International Women’s Day.
Although Snapchat got criticized for adding a darker skin tone to the Bob Marley filter, they got even more criticism for NOT adding anything to the Rosa Parks one. Naturally, users of different ethnicity used the filter to celebrate the event, which caused users to comment that Rosa Parks wasn’t white when Caucasian people used the filter.
It seems that no matter what Snapchat tries to do to incorporate different cultures and people, it always comes back to bite them in the butt, making them seem insensitive to people of color and women.
UCLA Professor Safiya Noble notices these issues that Snapchat keeps getting stuck in and stated,
“I think that technology companies really must take seriously hiring people with a deep knowledge of cultural studies, ethnic studies, sociology, women studies, fields that are deeply attuned to the histories of people of color, and people who have been marginalized in the United States in particular.”- Safiya Noble, UCLA
Ashley Loyd
Regardless of what Snapchat does to make everyone happy, there is nothing they could do against people misusing the platform.
Ashley Loyd taking a picture with a black face mask, using a Black History Month caption and banner.
Ashley Loyd of USC posted a Snapchat of her wearing a charcoal face mask while using a Black History Month filter that said, “Young, black, and proud”. People assumed she used the face mask as a blackface, making fun of African Americans and the event of Black History Month.
She wrote on Twitter,
“…for the record this was only a black face mask for your skin, not intentional coloring. However I understand”. -Ashley Loyd
Concluding Thoughts
Snapchat always comes out with filters, with many good intentions in mind. However, in reality, these don’t always work out- many inconsistencies and lack of culture knowledge leads to unintentional misrepresentation. But, even when Snapchat does get it right, people may use the platform inappropriately, and cause controversies on their own. But, even through the multiple controversies Snapchat has been involved in, they still come back strong with new filters that don’t offend anyone, and celebratory events that come in the form of a banner instead of a filter.
People still enjoy sending short snaps to their friends and playing around with what the platform has to offer, regardless of the company’s past.
Wordpress by Kat Strysky 