Snapchat says sorry for 'slap Rihanna, punch Chris Brown' ad

Chris Brown and Rihanna. Photo/Getty

Snapchat has apologised for allowing an advertisement on its platform that asked the question: "Would you rather slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown?"

"We are sorry that this happened," the social media site has said about the ad.

The ad, for a game called 'Would You Rather?', reportedly appeared on Snapchat over the weekend, and soon got social media attention for its reference to a domestic abuse case between Rihanna and Chris Brown in 2009.

Viewers took to Twitter to call it "tone deaf" and "awful".

Is it just me, or is this ad that popped up on my Snapchat extremely tone deaf? Like what were they thinking with this? pic.twitter.com/7kP9RHcgNG

— Royce Mann (@TheRoyceMann) March 12, 2018

Just awful. Awful that anyone thinks this is funny. Awful that anyone thinks this is appropriate. Awful that any company would approve this. Thank you Brittany for calling this out.

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) March 12, 2018

Snapchat told the BBC the ad was a mistake and shouldn't have been approved.

"The advert was reviewed and approved in error, as it violates our advertising guidelines," they told the BBC.

"We immediately removed the ad last weekend, once we became aware."

Brown was charged over an altercation with Rihanna, his then-girlfriend, in 2009, which left her with facial bruises and required hospitalisation.