‘Make Me Asian’ App Accused of Racism

Washington, D.C. pastor Peter Chin is fired up over an Android app. The “Make Me Asian” app allows users to add photo overlays of hair, headgear and other accessories—such as a Fu Manchu mustache—that evoke racial stereotypes. Chin started an online petition on change.org, calling for the removal of the app, as well as the similar “Make Me Indian” app.

I created the petition as a means of saying, No, this kind of stereotype is not acceptable to me, and to many others, and we will not simply shake our heads but accept it as our fate,” Chin told KoreAm Journal.

The two apps were created by user KimberyDeiss, whose dossier includes other photo-altering apps such as “Make Me Old” and “Make Me Frankenstein.” In addition to the apps included in Chin’s petition, KimberyDeiss has also created “Make Me Russian” and “Make Me Irish.

Not only are the apps racially inappropriate, but according to user reviews, they are riddled with other problems. One user complained of Russian spam and pornography banners appearing when using the “Make Me Indian” app. Another user claimed the app locked the phone to the point its battery had to be removed.

The apps are not available on iOS, as Google is more permissive about the apps it allows in its Play Store. Unlike Apple, Android apps are not reviewed by the company before release. Google does have policies for inappropriate apps, however, including a hate speech clause in its developer policy. The KimberyDeiss racial apps could fall under the clause since they contain visual racial slurs.

[Image via Make Me Asian via Google Play]