Culture

Snapchat Had A “Yellowface” Filter And Yeah, People Were Not Happy About It

The filter was apparently "inspired by anime".

by Sinead Stubbins  11 August 2016

Want more Junkee in your life? Sign up to our newsletter, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook so you always know where to find us.

It was only a few short months ago when Snapchat came under heavy criticism for celebrating April 20th (or #420) with a filter that gave users black skin and dreadlocks, just like Bob Marley. You know, that reggae musician who liked to smoke pot! Good grief.

Well, apparently they didn’t learn from this and decided that the time was ripe for another filter that gives you the illusion of changing races. Behold, a filter that makes you look like a character in anti-Asia propaganda from World War II!

As many people on social media have pointed out, the filter was such an overt example of “yellowface” that it’s incredible to think of how it even made it onto the app. The filter, which gives the user slanted eyes and anime-style cheeks, was pulled yesterday without any immediate statement from Snapchat.

They have since told The Verge that “the lens was inspired by anime, and was meant to be playful” — but then again, so was Mickey Rooney’s performance in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and that was still racist as hell.