Snapchat Bob Marley 420 filter sparks outrage over blackface and stereotyping

Snapchat said the filter was created in partnership with the Bob Marley estate

The filter gives the user a cap and dreadlocks, and replaces their face with Bob Marley's

Snapchat's latest filter, which features iconic reggae singer Bob Marley, has earned the company a barrage of criticism on social media.

Using facial recognition technology, the filter lays an image of Marley's face over the top of the user's, and gives them dreadlocks and a cap.

Snapchat clearly thought it would be received well, but critics have said it reduces the late singer to nothing more than a stereotype.

The date of the filter's introduction may have been ill-advised - 20 April, or 4/20, is a significant date in cannabis culture, when users from around the world congregate to consume and celebrate the drug, even in London's Hyde Park.

By introducing the filter on 4/20, critics claim Snapchat reduced Marley's legacy to nothing more than a stereotype.

Most of the outrage has taken place on Twitter. where one user wrote: "Why are we just simplifying Bob Marley to weed? As if that's all he was known for..."

Another said: "Bob Marley is one of the most iconic and influential people in the history of the music industry. He is not the face of some stoner holiday."

Others had different problems with the filter, claiming that pasting Marley's face onto that of the user is essentially a form of blackface.

Snapchat dismissed these concerns - in a statement, the company said: "The lens we launched today was created in partnership with the Bob Marley Estate, and gives people a new way to share their appreciation for Bob Marley and his music."

"Millions of snapchatters have enjoyed Bob Marley's music, and we respect his life and achievements."