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Social media platform Instagram quickly removed a “Mute White People” sticker following massive backlash mostly from conservatives, including criticism from presidential son Donald Trump Jr.
Though the sticker, which was created by Refinery29, is no longer available on the platform, it nevertheless remains available at the GIPHY website. Like Instagram, GIPHY is owned by Facebook, the Mark Zuckerberg-owned platform.
The sticker went viral after Fox News contributor and Townhall editor Katie Pavlich found it and tweeted a screenshot from her phone July on Monday, writing, “Instagram has a ‘mute white people’ button in stories.’”
Instagram has a “mute white people” button in stories 🤔 pic.twitter.com/GBDwqxqRAb
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) July 13, 2020
Another user noted that the sticker was coming from GIPHY.
Definitely does, seems to be pulling from @GIPHY. What a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/9LJKQPG1G1
— Brian (@BLG923) July 13, 2020
Following Pavlich’s tweet, Don Jr. blasted Instagram for even permitting the sticker on its platform, writing, “Remember, it’s not racist if it’s racist against white people.”
Conservative social commentator Ashley StClair also noticed the sticker, tweeting a screenshot and adding: I’m going to need an explanation for this new racist Instagram sticker….”
I’m going to need an explanation for this new racist Instagram sticker…. pic.twitter.com/NdLMZtHYUZ
— Ashley StClair 🇺🇸 (@stclairashley) July 13, 2020
Wtf!? That’s real!!?
— Aubrey Huff (@aubrey_huff) July 13, 2020
She followed up with a short video of her accessing the sticker, writing, “For those asking if it’s real…”
For those asking if it’s real: pic.twitter.com/2Hl2YvDEqh
— Ashley StClair 🇺🇸 (@stclairashley) July 13, 2020
Later, StClair tweeted out a video and post noting that she had “independently verified” that both Instagram and Facebook removed the sticker, noting, “The real question is whether or not the FOUR companies that were complicit in publishing this racist gif will make a statement.”
BREAKING: Instagram & Facebook have removed the ‘Mute White People’ sticker
The real question is whether or not the FOUR companies that were complicit in publishing this racist gif will make a statement pic.twitter.com/RYREPidiWc
— Ashley StClair 🇺🇸 (@stclairashley) July 14, 2020
On Tuesday, StClair said that a conservative friend had a post removed for utilizing stickers Instagram had initially permitted. The notification in the screenshot said that the ‘offending’ post was “removed for hate speech or symbols.”
“Is this an admission from @instagram that they published hate speech for all users to use?” StClair responded.
A conservative friend of mine made a post with the ‘Mute White People’ sticker to bring attention to the racism
Instagram REMOVED the post for ‘hate speech’ even though it was a sticker they published. pic.twitter.com/HfDPW4BjQi
— Ashley StClair 🇺🇸 (@stclairashley) July 14, 2020
Is this an admission from @instagram that they published hate speech for all users to use? 🤔
— Ashley StClair 🇺🇸 (@stclairashley) July 14, 2020
Refinery29 is a media outlet focused primarily on a female audience, according to the GIPHY site, the Washington Examiner reported Tuesday.
Other GIFs uploaded by the company include “REPARATIONS$$$,” “DEFUND THE POLICE,” “PAY BLACK WOMEN,” and “CANCELED.”
The sticker is formally known as the “Unbothered Sticker.” The Washington Examiner noted that GIPHY moderators have to approve stickers and GIFs that can be shared in its library and, eventually, platforms.
“To ensure that GIPHY stickers will always be fun and safe no matter where you see them, we have an enhanced moderation process for approving stickers into our library. This is a permanent part of our moderation process and may impact the turnaround time for uploaded content to appear within the Sticker API (which powers partners such as Instagram),” the company’s website notes.
The news outlet noted further that in March, Lyndsey Fifield, the social media manager for the conservative Heritage Foundation, said the think tank’s news and opinion site, The Daily Signal, lost its verified status after it “mysteriously disappeared.”
“Just hours after tweeting this, our verified status on @GIPHY mysteriously disappeared—stripping our gifs and stickers from the gif banks on Twitter and Instagram. The only pro-life & pro-capitalism gifs on IG. I’m hopeful this was a mistake and that their team will resolve it,” she wrote on Twitter, added that one GIF she created received more than 39 million views.
Just hours after tweeting this, our verified status on @GIPHY mysteriously disappeared—stripping our gifs and stickers from the gif banks on Twitter and Instagram.
The only pro-life & pro-capitalism gifs on IG.
I'm hopeful this was a mistake and that their team will resolve it. https://t.co/t2lWwRVYnt
— Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) March 11, 2020
She noted that the site’s status was re-verified shortly thereafter.
Several others reacted negatively to the sticker as well.
**Warning: Strong language
@instagram now has a story sticker that says “Mute White People.” Can’t get anymore #racist than that. 😡 pic.twitter.com/9arovvRVzX
— DaisyMae (@therealdaisymae) July 13, 2020
Is Instagram fuc*ing joking? There’s a “mute white people” gif, along with other anti white features.
White people need to stop pandering to every other race and we need to start standing up for ourselves. This is just the beginning.
White people are under attack. Period. https://t.co/2AOgeSoYTj
— ConservativeNationalist_1 (@Nationalist_KAG) July 14, 2020
The soy boys are getting cocky.
This is what happens when society holds up social media technology like a new gender from God.
The idiots finally get their say moonlighting as keyboard warriors wielding racism shields.
In real life, they’d get their teeth knocked out.
— Devon (@Super_D_Duper) July 14, 2020
Thx Obama.
— American Woman🇺🇸 (@dla987654321) July 14, 2020
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Jon@bizpacreview.com
Jon is a staff writer for BizPac Review with 30 years' worth of reporting experience, as well as an author and U.S. Army veteran. He has a BA in political science from Ashford University and an MA in national security studies/intelligence analysis from American Military University.
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