Snapchat is taking action after claims that it stole from artists

Twitter / @RoxeteraRibbons

Snapchat removed this Lense after the artist who created the design publicly complained.

Snapchat has responded to allegations that it stole artwork for its selfie filters and other graphics.

"The creative process sometimes involves inspiration, but it should never result in copying," a Snapchat spokesperson told Tech Insider. "We have already implemented additional layers of review for all designs. Copying other artists isn't something we will tolerate, and we're taking appropriate action internally with those involved."  

The response comes after a story published by The Ringer on Thursday detailed how multiple artists and designers have had their work closely copied by Snapchat's face-tracking filters, which the company calls Lenses. 

Argenis Pinal, a makeup artist, recently had his joker-esque face paint design copied by a Snapchat Lense with permission.

Russian artist Alexander Khokhlov got a lot of publicity in early May when Snapchat blatantly repurposed his geometric face paint design for a Lense in its app.

In the case of Khokhlov's design, Snapchat made a rare public apology at the time and called the decision an "embarrassing mistake."

Beyond Lenses, another artist named Lois van Baarle said that Snapchat had repurposed her fox drawings for stickers in the app without her permission.

"In total, three of my sketches were traced and used in the app," she told The Ringer. "My fox sketches have been circulating on the web since I created them in 2013. I'm guessing they found it through a web search."