LGBTQ+ organisation The Gilbert Baker Foundation is fighting against the ban on pride flags in various cities with a new AR filter. Created in partnership with Innocean USA and Tool, the new Instagram filter lets users fly a virtual pride flag wherever they are.
“The Gilbert Baker Foundation launched the Save the Rainbow Flag initiative in response to a wave of pride flag bans occurring across our country,” says Charles Beal, president of the Gilbert Baker Foundation. “Partnering with the ACLU, we created a toolkit that local activists can use to fight back against this wave of hate and win! Using these tools, we’ve already seen victories in California, New Jersey and Florida. If this is happening in your community, speak out! Reach out to us and fight back!”
Fly the pride flag in banned cities
The #SavetheRainbowFlag augmented reality (AR) filter allows users to place a pride flag anywhere. However it, more importantly, allows users to fly the pride flag on government buildings in cities that currently ban them. Innocean partnered with Tool to create the filter when the pride flag was banned in its home city of Huntington Beach, California.
“We are proud of the diversity we have in our employees at Innocean and when one of our team proposed we do something bold to support the LGBTQ+ community, I was very happy to see our team jump into action,” says CEO Steve Jun. “This is about more than a flag. It’s about people coming together, using new technologies for good and standing up for each other. I look forward to seeing virtual rainbow pride flags across the country – if not the world!”
The #SavetheRainbowFlag virtual Augmented Reality (AR) filter also lets users rotate and resize the pride flag. Users can also record a video or take a photo of the virtual flag to post on social media with the hashtag #SavetheRainbowFlag.
Beal adds, “The new augmented reality filter is a perfect protest tool. It expands the Save the Rainbow Flag toolkit with a powerful visual aid. Take a picture in front of a building where the Rainbow flag is banned and put a waving flag into that photograph. Just point – tap – and Pow! You’ve planted a flag where it’s banned. And it looks real. Do you want to plant a rainbow flag in front of your house? Just tap! In your office at work! Just tap! It’s that simple!”
