Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Snapchat accused of whitewashing its users through ‘beautify’ filter

snapchat white wash flower crown filter
@danradcliffed/Twitter
First, there was the Bob Marley blackface feature, and now, there’s the alleged skin-lightening filter. Snapchat, it seems, is having a bit of trouble when it comes to racial sensitivity. A number of Snapchat users have recently lambasted the popular social media app for filters that seem to make users’ complexions seem whiter. Particularly problematic, some users note, is the association of words like “pretty” and beauty” with lightness.

https://twitter.com/pandaprince_ss/status/707616798196293632

Recommended Videos

For Coachella, Snapchat debuted a flower crown filter that does indeed whitewash the entire photo or video in question, but Snapchatters are also taking issue with “beautify,” a filter that makes the skin lighter, the face slimmer, the eyes wider, and blemishes disappear. When one Yahoo beauty editor tried out the filter for herself, she noted, “The filter gave her a significantly lighter complexion, a more narrow jaw and nose, and even turned her brown eyes nearly blue.” But the effects were a bit less noticeable on a colleague, who said that her own “change was fairly subtle. The filter evened out her skin tone and added pink and yellow hues to her complexion.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

https://twitter.com/meganamen/status/731935775982424064

All the same, some users seem none too pleased by the fact that Snapchat is imposing a pretty standardized definition of being “pretty” or “attaining beauty.”

but why do the snapchat "beautifying" filters make your skin whiter and eyes lighter

— mom streeter (@ccstreeter) May 10, 2016

But others have been much more forgiving of the photo- and video-sharing app, comparing many of the filters to those used by Instagram or other editing tools to simply smooth over imperfections and enhance photographs. Really, some users say, the filters are practically like using your camera’s flash, as it doesn’t only affect your skin, but really the entirety of the photograph.

https://twitter.com/oracleofvenus/status/723797276502708224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Snapchat has yet to respond to the latest outcry over its features, but it should be noted that it’s not the only company to produce a filter that purports to “beautify” your photos by way of lightening them. Last year, Xiaomi also came under fire for a “beautify” feature on a smartphone camera that was effectively a skin-lightening tool.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Snapchat’s pocket-sized Pixy drone takes to the skies
Snapchat's Pixy drone.

Snap has unveiled its first camera drone -- Pixy.

A promotional video (below) shows a group of friends sending Pixy skyward to capture footage of the trio as they goof around in the countryside.

Read more
Mars helicopter Ingenuity powers through its 21st flight
In this illustration, NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter stands on the Red Planet's surface as NASA's Perseverance rover (partially visible on the left) rolls away. Ingenuity arrived at Mars on Feb. 18, 2021, attached to the belly of NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover.

The Mars helicopter Ingenuity continues to perform beyond all expectations, having recently completed its 21st flight. The tiny NASA helicopter was originally designed for just five flights, but to the delight of all it has shaken off dust storms and handled seasonal changes, and it is continuing to operate and explore the red planet from the air.

NASA announced that the helicopter had aced its most recent flight yesterday, on Friday, March 11. "#MarsHelicopter can’t be stopped!" NASA JPL wrote on Twitter. "Ingenuity successfully completed its 21st flight on the Red Planet. The small rotorcraft traveled 370 meters at a speed of 3.85 meters per second and stayed aloft for 129.2 seconds."

Read more
Snapchat finally adds safeguards against drug sales to minors
snapchat ios App Store. Credit: XanderXT / Shutterstock

Snapchat, TikTok, and other major tech companies were grilled late last year by the U.S. Congress for what was deemed as their half-hearted safety measures and algorithms to protect children from illicit drug deals, pornography exposure, and other potential problems. Now, Snapchat has taken a major step to ensure user safety by launching a Quick Add feature to protect minors between the ages of 13 to 17 from harassment and drug usage.
Safer friends 
Quick Add is essentially a friend suggestion feature that allows a user to add friends faster rather than searching for them via their usernames. A user shows up in another person's Quick Add list only if they have mutual friends or connections. For users younger than 18, in order to be discoverable in Quick Add, the underage user will need to have a certain number of mutual connections with the stranger to be allowed to add them to their network.  
Snapchat's protective features could ensure that other tech companies follow suit. XanderSt / Shutterstock
Identifying bad actors
During the congressional hearing last October, it was revealed that two youngsters in Minnesota died after consuming pills purchased from dealers they met on Snapchat. Unbeknownst to them, the prescription painkillers were laced with fentanyl, which can be an extremely dangerous drug. 
To counter this, Snapchat has put measures in place to identify drug slang and will also report potential cases to law enforcement. The company has also added the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) and Truth Initiative to its Heads Up portal to counter illegal drug usage. The platform claims that its updated A.I. algorithms can identify illegal accounts with more success, and even ban these users from creating new accounts.
Apps such as Instagram have also been called out over suggesting drugs to minors and for loopholes in profile restrictions for minors. 

Read more