Snapchat faces backlash for offensive filters that honour smart women with sexist filters

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• March 3rd 2017
• 8 days ago
• /video/video.news.com.au/Business/Markets/

Snapchat is in hot water again for inappropriate filters — this time it is the filters it created to honour women. Photo: Frank May

SNAPCHAT has again found itself in hot water on social media for its filters. This time people are outraged that filters designed to honour smart people on International Women’s Day have become something of a “is she hot or not” contest.

Snapchat has moved to mark International Women’s Day by three special filters. So far, so good.

But where it has turned sour for the recently publicly launched company is how that it turns someone’s face to resemble that of artist Frida Kahlo, activist Fosa Parks and scientist Marie Curie.

i guess i was out sick the day in AP Chem when we learned how Marie Curie loved a good smoky eye. were the beakers not enough?? pic.twitter.com/bho4Np141L

— Maya Kosoff (@mekosoff) March 8, 2017

The biggest reaction online has been to the Marie Curie filter, which slims a person’s face, adds make-up and extends the eyelashes — because that is clearly what the two-times Nobel prize winning chemist needed, apparently.

Unlike with the Bob Marley filter Snapchat launched last year, which was criticising for giving people a digital “black face”, this time Snapchat hasn’t changed the skin tone for Parks.

Instead, they have changed their eye tone which has also upset people online with claims the two historical women have been “whitewashed”.

Perhaps Snapchat should skip trying to honour real people altogether and stick with vomiting rainbows. Everybody loves vomiting rainbows.

I appreciate the effort @Snapchat but why add the makeup to the Marie Curie filter? #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/CQ1MZ9S3ZJ

— Eileen Dawson (@MarrowNator) March 8, 2017

the marie curie snapchat lens makes ur face thinner and gives u full eye makeup thank GOD wouldn't want to be an unhot scientist pic.twitter.com/8wskqbs5m3

— amy brown (@arb) March 8, 2017

What the hell, @Snapchat? Neither Rosa Parks nor Frida Kahlo had light eyes. STOP whitewashing WOC, especially on #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/7Ms32ERHJv

— jenn kauffman (@jennaudrey) March 8, 2017