Photography: Bang ShowbizIn this time of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements against sexual harassment and abuse, you would think people and brands would be even more sensitive to the topic. Somehow, though, Snapchat seemed to miss the memo.
Earlier this week, according to the BBC, the social media platform posted an ad that appeared to joke about the time that Chris Brown physically assaulted then girlfriend Rihanna in 2009. The ad, for a game called “Would You Rather?”, asks users whether they would rather “Slap Rihanna” or “Punch Chris Brown,” which is, of course, extremely problematic, as it seems to simultaneously make light of and promote domestic violence.
Twitter users were, understandably, angered by the ad. “Is it just me, or is this ad that popped up on my Snapchat extremely tone deaf? Like what were they thinking with this?” one person tweeted, along with a screenshot of the ad. Chelsea Clinton was among those who criticized Snapchat’s decision to post it. “Just awful. Awful that anyone thinks this is funny. Awful that anyone thinks this is appropriate. Awful that any company would approve this,” she wrote.
Is it just me, or is this ad that popped up on my Snapchat extremely tone deaf? Like what were they thinking with this? pic.twitter.com/7kP9RHcgNG
— Royce Mann (@TheRoyceMann) March 12, 2018
I know that social media ads go through an approval process from the platform.
This means @Snapchat approved an ad that makes light of domestic violence.
The update ain’t the only thing that’s wack over there, friends. https://t.co/PmbJn4zCel
— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) March 12, 2018
Just awful. Awful that anyone thinks this is funny. Awful that anyone thinks this is appropriate. Awful that any company would approve this. Thank you Brittany for calling this out.
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) March 12, 2018
highly inappropriate
— Deborah Robinson (@debrob1947) March 12, 2018
WOW just WOW… I have no words I can articulate right now…
— Monica Morgan (@Monicolourjunki) March 12, 2018
After facing major backlash, Snapchat reportedly took down the ad, which had only been shown to U.S. users, and released a statement to the BBC apologizing. “The advert was reviewed and approved in error, as it violates our advertising guidelines. We immediately removed the ad last weekend, once we became aware,” the statement said. “We are sorry that this happened.”
In 2015, a few years after the incident, which took place the night before the 2009 Grammys and forced Rihanna to cancel her scheduled performance at the awards show, the singer spoke to Vanity Fair about the pain she felt when people continued to bring up the assault long after it had happened. “For me, and anyone who’s been a victim of domestic abuse, nobody wants to even remember it. Nobody even wants to admit it,” she said. “So to talk about it and say it once, much less 200 times, is like … I have to be punished for it?”
