A storm erupted on social media yesterday after smartphone app manufacturer Live Lens released a controversial advert featuring ‘Fake’ interpreter Thamsanqa Jantjie.
See our article on the advert here – and read on to see what we said when Live Lens defended the advert on Twitter, plus, further down, what you, how Deaf people around the world have responded to it.
.@LiveLens_App what you've done is shameful. You've mocked sign language and the incident at the Mandela service all over again.
— The Limping Chicken (@Limping_Chicken) May 7, 2014
.@LiveLens_App you're admitting you've used a mentally ill man, and his mistakes, which offended deaf people worldwide, for commercial gain
— The Limping Chicken (@Limping_Chicken) May 7, 2014
@Limping_Chicken I hear you, but we feel he is mocking himself. He apologized and we (he) should move on. Again no disrespect!.
— LiveLens (@LiveLens_App) May 7, 2014
.@LiveLens_App no disrespect?! He ridiculed sign language on the world stage… and you're having a good laugh about it.
— The Limping Chicken (@Limping_Chicken) May 7, 2014
We weren’t the only ones asking questions of Live Lens
@LIVELENS must be banished – very insulting to #deaf #ASL http://t.co/BPSekhDYcK
— Louis Schwarz (@DeafBowTie) May 7, 2014
@Limping_Chicken @LiveLens_App & you didn't subtitle, deaf people who don't speak 'fake' sign cant access. Second chance @ poking fun?#awful
— carole humphrys (@curlecaz) May 7, 2014
@LiveLens_App @Limping_Chicken 2nd chance?? No fat chance. This AD is insulted to me and the deaf community. mocked our sign language!!
— Lianne Quigley (@liannequigley) May 7, 2014
And on Live Lens Facebook Page where people used pictures to tell Live Lens to STOP!
Then Live Lens hit back with this on their Facebook page:
We’re sure there’s more to come .. but in the meantime here’s the offending advert ..
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Linda Richards
May 8, 2014
My earlier post this morning on the livelens Facebook page was removed within minutes….. Here’s another one I have just posted on their page……
Turning this around to focus the issue on the guy instead of holding your own hands up is deflection at best and, at worse, demonstrates an irresponsible and woeful lack of ‘duty of care’ for him, sign language and, Deaf people. It also shows how little you value your product which, along with your company name is now tainted and deserving of every raspberry award and negative press that comes your way. At least now, with the storm you have created, every search for livelens will always show our links and our comments about your disgraceful actions. For a start, drop the advert. Remember the “our jewellery is just trash” company? Sank within months and never recovered….. You’ll be next.
There are several actions we can do. I do not use twitter but can see the value of instaneous messaging about this disrespectful company. It could also be worth looking up this company and seeing where it is based, what its shares are and starting a campaign of action/demonstrate to show our feelings. Complaining to Facebook and getting them removed would hit some of their publicity angles. Any other ideas anyone?
Linda Richards
May 8, 2014
See a selection of the terms and conditions for using the Livelens app … Yup! It’s their own terms and conditions… They don’t exactly practise what they preach, do they?! See some of their own rules…..
You agree to abide by all applicable laws, regulations and rules. You further agree that you are solely responsible for all acts or omissions associated with your access and use of the Service and the access and use of the Service by anyone on your behalf.
When using the Service, you must refrain from –
• Violating any rules, guidelines or instructions that we may convey with respect to the use of the Service;
• Posting false, inaccurate, or misleading Videos;
• Impersonating any person or entity, or making any false statement pertaining to your identity;
• Posting commercial Content, including advertisements, sponsorships, solicitations, endorsements and public relations material;
• Engaging in any activity that constitutes or encourages conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable law, including laws governing privacy, defamation, mass email, spam, export control, consumer protection, unfair competition and false advertising;
You may not post, disseminate, transmit or otherwise communicate through the Service any Content (including Videos) which:
• May infringe rights of other parties, including patents, copyrights, trade secrets, trademarks, a person’s right for privacy or right of publicity;
• May encourage, support, assist, or advise in the commission of a criminal offense;
• May be threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, libelous, vulgar, violent, obscene or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable;
Linda Richards
May 8, 2014
Just posted on the Nelson Mandela Facebook page ….
For friends and supporters of Nelson Mandela …. There has been an offensive advert produced to promote the livelens app using the fake interpreter who disgracefully marred the funeral of Mandela. Please see the following links and show your support and disgust at this company’s actions.
http://limpingchicken.com/2014/05/07/the-fake-interpreter-is-back-and-hes-still-causing-offence-in-a-strange-advert-for-a-video-sharing-app/
http://limpingchicken.com/2014/05/08/fake-interpreter-social-media/
Please also add your views to the livelens Facebook page.
Only by a mass response will we see the offensive advert removed in the interests of all who share Mandela’s philosophy as depicted in the quote on the cover picture of this Facebook page.
Thank you.
Hartmut
May 11, 2014
From a few clues and by deduction, I infer that the LiveLens company is he the fake interpreter, himself and only himself.
It suffices for now, who would support him doing this?!! The advert oroves that he has no sign language knowledge, only knows a few gestures that some hearing travelers could use, nothing more.