--- description: Snapchat removed a filter that users said resembled "yellowface" and mirrored stereotypes of Asian faces after backlash title: Snapchat Takes Down 'Yellowface' Filter After Backlash image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt253d23cbf2863a3f/69887877524fc09491df6394/463785734.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) ## Tech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Snapchat Takes Down 'Yellowface' Filter After Backlash by [Daniel White](/author/daniel-white/) ## Daniel White Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 14, 2023 10:43 PM CUTPublished: Aug 10, 2016 7:01 PM CUT  The Snapchat Inc. application (app) is seen on an on an Apple Inc. iPhone 5s displayed for a photograph in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015\. Snapchat Inc. is raising money that could value the company at as much as $19 billion. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Snapchat Inc. application (app) is seen on an on an Apple Inc. iPhone 5s displayed for a photograph in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015\. Snapchat Inc. is raising money that could value the company at as much as $19 billion. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesHarrer, Andrew—Bloomberg/Getty Images by [Daniel White](/author/daniel-white/) ## Daniel White Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 14, 2023 10:43 PM CUTPublished: Aug 10, 2016 7:01 PM CUT Snapchat removed a filter Wednesday after outraged [users said online](https://www.buzzfeed.com/katienotopoulos/snapchat-removes-yellowface-filter-after-criticism?utm%5Fterm=.dko28nM1v9#.peAgkJraBG "undefined") that it was racist. The filter in question, which users said resembled “yellowface” and mirrored stereotypes of Asian faces, featured a filter with closed, slanted eyes. Snapchat told T[he Verge](http://www.theverge.com/2016/8/10/12423560/snapchat-anime-selfie-lens-yellowface-racism "undefined") that the filter was inspired by anime and meant to be playful. Many users took to Twitter on Tuesday to express their dismay. > [](https://twitter.com/tequilafunrise/status/763060616877608960) > [](https://twitter.com/limb%5Flight/status/763135381978120192) > [](https://twitter.com/bkisnah/status/763081209039745024) Yellowface was a practice in early Hollywood films where white performers [used theatrical makeup to portray people of East Asian descent](http://time.com/1155/dear-how-i-met-your-mother-asian-is-not-a-costume/ "undefined"), much like performers used [blackface](http://time.com/4140157/dutch-christmas-blackface/ "undefined") to pose as black characters. This isn’t the first time Snapchat has been in trouble over a filter. A Bob Marley filter that posted on April 20 [was taken by many to be offensive](http://time.com/4300726/snapchat-bob-marley-filter-blackface/ "undefined"), with some calling the filter “digital blackface.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4447003/snapchat-yellowface-filter-backlash/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4447003/snapchat-yellowface-filter-backlash/"},"headline":"Snapchat Takes Down 'Yellowface' Filter After Backlash","datePublished":"2016-08-10T19:01:54.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-14T22:43:36.000Z","description":"Snapchat said the filter was meant to resemble anime characters","url":"https://time.com/4447003/snapchat-yellowface-filter-backlash/","keywords":["Tech","Social Media","Internet","Technology","snapchat","Companies"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt253d23cbf2863a3f/69887877524fc09491df6394/463785734.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Daniel White","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/daniel-white/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt253d23cbf2863a3f/69887877524fc09491df6394/463785734.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Snapchat Money Manage","caption":"Snapchat Money Manage","creditText":"Harrer, Andrew—Bloomberg/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4447003/snapchat-yellowface-filter-backlash/","name":"Snapchat Takes Down 'Yellowface' Filter After Backlash"}}]}] ```