Snapchat is finally ditching one of its most controversial filters

Snap is removing a contentious speed filter from its Snapchat app, which has been accused of inciting irresponsible driving.

The filter, which was first released eight years ago, allows you to snap a shot or video with a reading of your speed overlaid on it.

Safety advocates have long argued that the filter encourages people to drive recklessly, frequently so they can brag to their pals about their high-speed exploits.

Accidents allegedly caused by drivers using the filter spurred some aggrieved families to file a lawsuit against Snap, based in California.

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The business revealed to NPR this week that it has decided to remove it from the app since it is “rarely used by Snapchatters” these days.

The corporation began removing the filter this week but indicated it could take several weeks for all 500 million of its active monthly users to be removed.

Reckless driving

In 2016, an 18-year-old woman slammed her car into an Uber driver in Atlanta, causing catastrophic brain trauma to the driver. According to the woman’s accusations, she was using Snapchat’s speed filter to track her speed at the time of the incident.

Snap’s infamous speed filter was reportedly linked to a car accident in Philadelphia in 2015 that killed three women, as well as a high-speed crash in Florida the following year that killed five people. Three men died in a crash in Wisconsin in 2017 in which one of the victims captured a 123-mph Snap in the moments leading up to the collision.

Following the terrible events, Snap made various improvements to the feature, including adding a disclaimer that reads, “Please, DO NOT Snap and drive.” Snap also “quietly capped the top speed for which a post could be shared” at 35 mph, according to NPR.

Snap is currently fighting legal fights over its speed filter, according to the news site, with a federal appeals court recently declaring that the families of those killed in the Wisconsin accident should be able to sue Snap for negligence. Snap recently appealed for the case to be dismissed, stating that the speed filter was not to responsible for the deadly accident.