Singer Rihanna slams Snapchat over controversial advertisement, says 'Shame on you'

Singer Rihanna has slammed messaging app Snapchat over a controversial advertisement that sought to promote domestic violence and referenced her 2009 assault by Chris Brown.

The advertisement, made for the promotion of the mobile game Would You Rather, asked users which of the artists they would prefer to hit.

"Slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown," the tagline on the ad stated, apparently in reference to Brown's conviction for assaulting Rihanna in 2009 while they were dating.

The 30-year-old singer took to Instagram and posted a lengthy comment, saying she was "trying to figure out what the point was with this mess".

"Now Snapchat, I know you already know you aren’t my favourite app out there! But I'm just trying to figure out what the point was with this mess! I'd love to call it ignorance, but I know you aren’t that dumb! You spent money to animate something that would intentionally bring shame to DV victims and made a joke of it!!!" she wrote.

"This isn't about my personal feelings because I don't have much of them but all the women, children and men that have been victims of DV in the past and especially the ones who haven't made it out yet, you let us down! Shame on you. Throw the whole app-oligy away," she added.

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After receiving the ire of the fans from all, Snapchat had issued a public apology and removed the ad, days before the singer's outburst.

"The advert was reviewed and approved in error, as it violates our advertising guidelines. We immediately removed the ad last weekend, once we became aware. We are sorry that this happened," the company had said in a statement to BBC.