Snapchat is being slammed for its ‘whitewashing’ lenses

Snapchat is once again being blasted for a skin tone face lens.

Last month it released a Bob Marley lens that many critics likened to digital blackface. This time around, the controversy is over a filter that “whitewashes” the user’s face, smoothing over the skin with a light complexion, bigger eyes and a thinner jaw. Snapchat users have dubbed it the “pretty” filter because it wipes out blemishes, however it has sparked criticism that it’s promoting Eurocentric beauty standards.

Many users were upset, including one who said they’re “very disturbed by the fact that your ‘beautification’ filters make my skin lighter, and my nose and jaw smaller. Just saying.”

Criticisms from others online also echo that sentiment:

On the flip side, others are find this “controversy” to be overstated:

Snapchat defended its Bob Marley lens and declined to pull it, despite pleas from users. The company didn’t immediately respond for comment for this latest controversy.

More in Media

Inside Bloomberg Media’s survival guide for the AI era

The business news publisher has yet to sign a content licensing deal with an AI company, but it did recently implement a new AI-powered on-site search engine.

Media Briefing: Overheard at the Digiday Publishing Summit, September 2025 Google search edition

Media execs aired their grievances about Google referral traffic and their souring relationship with platform during the Digiday Publishing Summit.

The lead image shows a football player taking a selfie.

How EssentiallySports’ creator program benefits both sides of the equation

Over the past year, sports news publication EssentiallySports has employed creators to make in-house video and editorial content around major tentpole sporting events — and thus far, the experiment has paid off.