Snapchat Strikes Two After Racist Filter On Asian Stereotype

Snapchat received an outrage from social media users after the controversial racist Asian filter. The racist Asian filter or  popularly known as the "yellow face" filter highlighted an over exaggeration of an East Asian stereotype with an oversized two upper incisors teeth, yellow complexion and slanted shut eyes.

Snapchat's spokesperson told the The Verge that the Snapchat team was experimenting on different filters and the filter was actually inspired by the immense popularization of anime culture. The filter was soon deleted from the app. The team apologized and told the public that the said filter will not be circulated anymore.

This however, was not the very first time Snapchat received a similar criticism from it users. Bob Marley filter was also backlashed last April for stereotyping digital black face. The said filter superimposed heavy dreadlocks hair and darkened complexion to app users. This also drove the public mad that also resulted eventually to the deletion of the filter. In Snapchat's defense, they said it was a tribute to the music and life of Bob Marley, however, clearly several app users failed to see it that way.

Several netizens, show their dismay for Snapchat's careless and disrespectful action through tweeting comments and posting memes.

The fact that this kind of racist interpretations unsuspectingly gone circulation by the Snapchat team proves that racism is still deeply rooted even in our society nowadays. According to a report by Wired, this is an act exemplifies the racism to Asians in a modern American society. Snapchat, still remains as the most popular selfie app, promised that they would be more sensitive and will conduct strict internal consultation before the release of their filters and hopes that this kind of racist clamor will not occur anymore in the future.