Snapchat and Instagram removed the Giphy GIF sticker features over the weekend due to an extremely racist image being searchable on both platforms.
Following the image in question’s discovery on Instagram, many users expressed outrage and demanded an apology. The GIF allegedly showed up while searching for the word "crime", per Twitter user Lyauna Augmon.
Snapchat and Instagram launched Giphy Integration last month so that users could “jazz up” their stories; and both platforms have since withdrawn the feature and given statements on the issue: “As soon as we were made aware, we removed the GIF and have disabled Giphy until we can be sure that this won’t happen again . . . while we wait for Giphy’s team to take a look at it.” announced Snapchat.
"This type of content has no place on Instagram," an Instagram spokesperson told TechCrunch. "We have stopped our integration with Giphy as they investigate the issue."
In another statement to TechCrunch a Giphy spokesperson said: “A user discovered an offensive GIF sticker in our library, and we immediately removed it per our content guidelines.
“After investigation of the incident, this sticker was available due to a bug in our content moderation filters specifically affecting GIF stickers. We have fixed the bug and have re-moderated all of the GIF stickers in our library.
“The GIPHY staff is also further reviewing every GIF sticker by hand and should be finished shortly.
“We take full responsibility for these recent events and sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended.”
