14 DAY TRIAL // The above subtitle is a sort of a reminder of olden days when mIRC was the new thing, the thing to be chatting on and the best way to establish social connections for those who lacked the courage to go up to somebody they didn't know and start a conversation. But I'm sure most of you knew that.
The reason I brought it up is because that was the alternative for confrontations at the time, just the way modern day IM programs are now. Nobody goes head to head in a confrontation just for the love of it. Except if you do that and you find it strangely appealing that is, in that case you fall under the category of bullies.
Some of you can relate to this story: threats, name-calling, the punches, the tax for "protection," the slaps in the face, perhaps even the horrifying wedgies. It's not a happy place to find yourself in when you're young enough to be certain you can't do anything by yourself but at the same time old enough to be proud and not tell any figure of authority because you don't want to be asking for outside help, so you just grind your teeth and swear your vengeance.
Today's bullying is done in a slightly different manner than that described above, the web reach has touched that domain as well, many being addressed today to a steady onslaught of hate-laced digital bits. A group of YouTube engineers has taken it up on themselves to assemble a channel with the exclusive purpose of helping average individuals to find solutions to and respite from attacks by cyber bullies.
That's ok, it's a good idea? if it gathers enough followers that is. It's not really like it's a free clinic for those abused but the flipside that it presents is interesting: it helps people who are on the point of becoming the bullies, or at least it tries. Just like every campaign, it has some important names backing it up and acting like the spokespeople for it, like Boyzone's Ronan Keating who said "If you wouldn't say it to someone's face, then don't post it online."