FaceApp scraps ‘racist’ filter after public outcry (PHOTOS)
Photo altering app FaceApp pulled their new filters after it was labelled “racist” for allowing users to digitally change their ethnicity.
The popular AI-powered app removed the filters mere hours after their launch. It followed public outcry over the new feature which allowed users to chose from four ethnicities: Asian, Black, Caucasian and Indian.
oh jesus faceapp please do not do this pic.twitter.com/YyMn57a8wK
— ol' cloppy (@clotwo) August 9, 2017
what are y'all doing @faceapp_aipic.twitter.com/brs5yvVOJm
— tyquil (@tyluh) August 9, 2017
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Yaroslav Goncharov, the founder of the app which has 40 million installs across Android and iOS devices, said the controversial filters would be pulled on Wednesday.
Update from FaceApp CEO Yaroslav Goncharov: "The new controversial filters will be removed in the next few hours."
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) August 9, 2017
Goncharov said “ethnicity change filters” were “designed to be equal in all respects” in a statement to RT, adding that they “don’t have any positive or negative connotations associated with them.”
Everyone loves FaceApp, the phone app that adds smiles and wrinkles to your friends' faces!
— Jennifer Unkle (@jbu3) August 9, 2017
We regret to inform you that FaceApp is racist pic.twitter.com/2tRSlcfWdc
#faceapp isn't' just bad it's also racist...🔥 filter=bleach my skin and make my nose your opinion of European. No thanks #uninstalledpic.twitter.com/DM6fMgUhr5
— Terrance AB Johnson (@tweeterrance) April 19, 2017
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The digital backtrack comes just three months after Goncharov was forced to apologize for a ‘hot’ filter that was deemed racist for lightening users’ skin tone.
me and my three ethnically diverse half brothers unequivocally condemn the new faceapp filters pic.twitter.com/uMNfIrb73f
— Alex Nichols (@Lowenaffchen) August 9, 2017
Wow... FaceApp really setting the bar for racist AR with its awful new update that includes Black, Indian and Asian "race filters" pic.twitter.com/Lo5kmLvoI9
— Lucas Matney (@lucasmtny) August 9, 2017
(FaceApp board meeting)
— Good Tweetman (@Goodtweet_man) August 9, 2017
"Our app is popular."
(Everyone nods)
"What if it could be more popular?"
(Everyone leans in)
"Get this: racism."
