Snapchat faces “blackface” backlash over Bob Marley filter

Is it a tribute or a racist insult? Snapchat’s Bob Marley filter slammed as dumb “digital blackface”.

Snapchat is under fire for Bob Marley filter that gives you a digital "black face"

SNAPCHAT is under fire for its new Bob Marley filter, which critics blasting it for giving people a digital “black face”.

Snapchat launched the special filter to mark April 20, a day that has become associated with the pro-cannabis culture.

The filter merges the person’s own face with that of the deceased singer, complete with dreadlocks and tea cosy-style hat.

Snapchat has told Mashable that it created in partnership with the Bob Marley Estate.

But that hasn’t stopped the backlash on Twitter.

The Bob Marley filter on snapchat is not ok. It's racist and perpetrates a stereotype. He did more than just smoke weed #420 #BobMarley

— Meredith J (@mjjacobs27) April 20, 2016

The Bob Marley filter on snapchat is not ok. It's racist and perpetrates a stereotype. He did more than just smoke weed #420 #BobMarley

— Meredith J (@mjjacobs27) April 20, 2016

Oh my god oh my god oh my god snapchat put a "Bob Marley" filter and it's... bad and in poor taste, to say the least pic.twitter.com/syAHGXp3f6

— Alp Ozcelik (@alplicable) April 20, 2016

Soooo @Snapchat capitalising on 4/20 with a blackface Bob Marley filter. Stay classy. 👎👎👎 #NotCool pic.twitter.com/HhmPQ6GJNi

— Asma ~ أسماء (@asooma) April 20, 2016

While the filter might be backfiring for Snapchat, other apps have similar filters, including the Facebook-owned MSQRD that several months ago launched a Rastafari filer and an Obama filter without a social media backlash.