Black Creators Clap Back at Racist Gorilla Filter Trend

So here we are, minding our business and vibing on TikTok, when another messy AI trend pops up. This time, it’s a “funny” gorilla filter that magically seems to get paired with Black women’s faces.

And listen, Black TikTok was NOT having it. The outrage? Instant. The shade? Swift. But most importantly—the response? ICONIC.

Let’s break it down:

The Filter That Had Us All Like, “Nah, Not Today.”

You know how TikTok trends can go from cute to straight-up tone deaf in 0.2 seconds? That’s exactly what happened here. Folks started posting videos with an AI-generated filter that turned faces into gorillas.

But when people noticed it was mostly being used on Black women, whew, the culture clocked it IMMEDIATELY.

Comment sections BLEW up:

• “So we still doing this in 2025?”
• “Y’all know the history, right? This ain’t it.”
• “Who signed off on this filter?”

Because let’s be real: comparing Black people to apes is a tired, racist trope that should’ve been buried with floppy disks and dial-up internet. Instead, here it is again, powered by AI and going viral. Sigh.

Black Creators: “We Not About to Let This Slide.”

This is where the power of Black TikTok came all the way through.

Calling Out TikTok: Creators like @TianaTruth and @KingOfReads put TikTok on blast, breaking down the exact reason why this is more than “just a joke.” They pulled up receipts, tagged the platform, and let the whole world know, ain’t nobody playing with us.

Turning Up the Volume: The hashtag #AintNoMonkey started trending with Black folks telling their stories, sharing history, and even educating some folks who tried to act clueless. And you know how we do, once the Roomies get behind a hashtag, it’s up!

Shutting It Down: Reports FLEW in. Petitions were signed. People told their followers to block, report, and drag. Black creators put that pressure on TikTok and the filter was gone in DAYS. Power to the people!

Switching the Vibe: Instead of letting the drama drain us, the culture flipped it, creators launched #BlackJoyAI and #BlackGirlGenius challenges. All love, all creativity, all day.

Here’s the truth: AI keeps getting smarter, but if we’re not in the room designing it, these “glitches” turn into real-life disrespect. From facial recognition that can’t get our faces right, to filters that erase our features, it’s bigger than one TikTok fail.

Black creators are making it clear:

• We want real transparency—who’s coding these filters?
• We want representation—more Black techies in the room, period.
• We want accountability—take that filter down, and don’t let it happen again.

It’s 2025, and we’re STILL fighting for respect, even online. But the difference now? We’re organized, we’re LOUD, and we know our power.

If you see tech gone wrong, don’t let it slide. Speak up. Share your story. Flood their mentions. Drop your thoughts below, and let’s keep the culture moving forward.

TSR, what y’all think? Have you ever seen AI or filters doing the most? Drop your experience in the comments and tag someone who needs to see this!