"The Kindness Mob" has come to the rescue of hundreds of online bullying victims
Started in 2023, "The Kindness Mob" is a group about half a million strong that secretly battles internet spite.
Kahri Salyars, a 28-year-old woman from King George, Virginia, recently embarked on a weight loss journey when she decided to share her progress on TikTok. After losing 40 pounds, she posted a video that garnered an unexpected response - toxic hate comments. Within days, hundreds of insults poured in, leaving Salyars and her husband feeling rejected and unsupported.
The situation seemed to escalate for a month, until an unexpected turn of events occurred. The tide changed, and an overwhelming wave of encouragement and support began to drown out the trolls. Salyars was left wondering where these kind-hearted people came from, as it felt like an organized effort to defend her against the online trolls.
Tyler Brickley, a man from Kansas City, Missouri, runs The Kindness Mob - a group of about half a million people who secretly combat internet cruelty. The Kindness Mob's mission is to make the internet a kinder place by showering their targets with compliments and positive messages. Brickley explained that their goal is to combat online bullying and make the internet seem kinder, and he finds the experience incredibly rewarding.
Since its inception in 2023, The Kindness Mob has digitally rescued around 400 strangers from the clutches of online bullying, including Salyars. As Salyars regained her confidence, she attributed it to the positivity that ultimately overtook the hate.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
