Snapchat pulls Juneteenth filter after severe backlash, issues apology

Snapchat has been forced to remove a selfie filter meant to “celebrate” Juneteenth after severe backlash on social media pointing out the blunder. In an insensitive and failed attempt to symbolise the end of slavery, the Snapchat interactive filter asked users to “smile” in order to “break the chains”.

Ashten Winger, a former Snapchat employee and member of the Black community, said that it was an outcome of the absence of Black people in the design team. Calling it “extremely embarrassing”, Winger said that the social media company should have rather used an Augmented Reality experience to inform its millions of active users about the significant day in the history of the United States.

Social media was abuzz with the latest filter, raising concerns over the way Snapchat was trying to “celebrate” Juneteenth. Digital strategist Mark Luckie wrote in a tweet, This SnapChat #Juneteenth filter is...um...interesting. Smile to break the chains? Okay then.”

Read: Snapchat To Stop 'promoting' Trump Amid Uproar Over Tweets

'Deeply apologise'

Apologising for the offensive Snapchat filter, the company said in a statement that it was not approved through the "review process" and an investigation was underway to avoid such mistakes in future. In a separate statement to Variety, the social media firm claimed that a diverse group of Snap team members were involved in the development of the filter.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is celebrated every year on June 19 to mark the end of slavery in the United States after a long Civil War. It marks the anniversary of the day when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally received the news about the victory of Union forces, almost two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln issued Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

Read: What's Twitter Fleet? Is It Similar To Snapchat Or Instagram Stories? All Details Here