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Britney Spears shared a moving post on Instagram in response to mocking her appearance

Britney Spears shared a moving post on Instagram in response to mocking her appearance

According to the Pew Research Center, four in ten Americans have received some form of online harassment, and 75% of Americans have seen some kind of cyberbullying going on. Two-thirds of people who experienced online harassment said that they experienced name calling. Instagram has been making changes to turn the platform into a safer space, such as AI that flags posts that might be offensive. When someone writes a mean comment, the user is asked, "Are you sure you want to post this?" then directed to Instagram's policy on bullying and offensive content.


Even though Instagram is aware of the problem and working to fix it, it's still way too easy to dash off a mean comment. Even Britney Spears thinks online bullying goes too far. Spears recently posted an Instagram video of her Holiday decorations with a caption politely asking Instagram users to be nice when they post.

RELATED: 'Stranger Things' actor Dacre Montgomery shares inspiring Instagram post about overcoming obstacles and following your dreams

"Happy holidays friends !!!! I love sharing with you all ... but it's been hard to keep wanting to share because people say the meanest things !!!" the singer wrote on Instagram. The post comes after Spears received a slew of mean responses for posting herself wearing a sundress in December. Some users piled on her makeup, saying it made them think of "Halloween." Others commented on how it made her "look older."



Spears told people what they should do if they don't like a post, because it seems like a lot of people haven't figured it out by now. "If you don't like a post ... just keep it to yourself and unfollow that person !!! There's no reason to ever go out of your way to make mean comments and bully people," she wrote.

She rounded out her post with a nice Holiday message. "Stay happy and nice this holiday season y'all and God Bless !!!!!" she concluded.

RELATED: Queen Elizabeth just made her first Instagram post and it has a secret nod to a feminist hero.

Spears' boyfriend, Sam Asghari, echoed the singer's sentiments. "It's so easy to cyber attack and hide behind their phones and write mean comments, but when they run into you in real life all of the sudden they act like they have been such a huge fan and want a picture. #hatersplease," he commented on Spears' post.

Spears' Instagram account has been lauded for being unique, quirky, and the right kind of random (yes, she does her own posts), but apparently, not everyone appreciates the national treasure that is Britney Spears. And those people should just keep it to themselves.

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Making new friends as an adult is challenging. While people crave meaningful IRL connections, it can be hard to know where to find them. But thanks to one Facebook Group, meeting your new best friends is easier than ever.

Founded in 2018, NYC Brunch Squad brings together hundreds of people who come as strangers and leave as friends through its in-person events.

“Witnessing the transformative impact our community has on the lives of our members is truly remarkable. We provide the essential support and connections needed to thrive amid the city's chaos,” shares Liza Rubin, the group’s founder.

Despite its name, the group doesn’t just do brunch. They also have book clubs, seasonal parties, and picnics, among other activities.

NYC Brunch Squad curates up to 10 monthly events tailored to the specific interests of its members. Liza handles all the details, taking into account different budgets and event sizes – all people have to do is show up.

“We have members who met at our events and became friends and went on to embark on international journeys to celebrate birthdays together. We have had members get married with bridesmaids by their sides who were women they first connected with at our events. We’ve had members decide to live together and become roommates,” Liza says.

Members also bond over their passion for giving back to their community. The group has hosted many impact-driven events, including a “Picnic with Purpose” to create self-care packages for homeless shelters and recently participated in the #SquadSpreadsJoy challenge. Each day, the 100 members participating receive random acts of kindness to complete. They can also share their stories on the group page to earn extra points. The member with the most points at the end wins a free seat at the group's Friendsgiving event.

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Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Van Gogh’s Starry Night.



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I'm not easily impressed, OK?

I know Van Gogh was a genius. If the point of this were "Van Gogh was a mad genius," I would not be sharing this with you.
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Mom shows why painters tape is her 'weird' thing she'll never travel without

For parents with young kids looking to have a little less travel stress this holiday season—this one's for you.

@nicholaknox/Instagram

A mom shows all the ways painters tape can be useful while traveling

Traveling can be stressful for anyone, but it’s particularly challenging for parents with really young kids. The sitting still for long periods of time, the changes in schedule, the abundance of stimuli, the unexpected stomach bugs, the suddenly running out of diaper wipes…all the things that make trips triggering for toddlers and therefore chaotic for mom and dad.

And while there might not be a way to completely avoid every travel-induced aggravation (it’s all part of the journey!) there are definitely tips and tricks and tools to make it a bit smoother of a process.

For one mom, a peaceful trip always begins with a roll of painter’s tape.
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“I live on a cruise ship for half the year with my husband, and it's often as glamorous as it sounds,” she told Insider. “After all, I don't cook, clean, make my bed, do laundry or pay for food.“

Living an all-inclusive lifestyle seems like paradise, but it has some drawbacks. Having access to all-you-can-eat food all day long can really have an effect on one’s waistline. Kesteloo admits that living on a cruise ship takes a lot of self-discipline because the temptation is always right under her nose.

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Dog mom has the most random phone conversation that adorably captures her dog's attention

This nonsensical conversation has the puppy ready for tacos...now!

Dog mom's random conversation has dog on edge of his seat

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One dog mom decided to test her luck by holding a fake phone conversation while her dog was nearby and it was shared to social media by HrtWarming. The conversation was about as nonsensical as it could get because no one else was on the other end of the phone.

"Yeah, did you get the treats? Well, he specifically wanted peanut butter. Yeah. Peanut butter treats. Yeah because we're going to go for a ride later," She says. "I think we're going to go for a ride and go to daycare. Camp. Yeah."

At this point the dog is pretty invested in the conversation as he keeps tilting his head from side to side but as the random conversation goes on, he gets more excited.

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Baby still in diapers is blowing people away with his musical ability at the piano

Young Gavrill seems to intuitively understand music, and the best part is that he does it with such joy.

Gavrill Scherbenko appears to be a musical prodigy.

Mozart blew people away with his composing abilities at age 5. Franz Liszt played piano professionally for the aristocracy when he was 9. Yo-Yo Ma played cello for President John F. Kennedy at age 7.

Musical prodigies have fascinated people for centuries with their mastery of music at unexpected ages. Most of us have the same questions: How and at what age were their abilities discovered? Is it nature or nurture or a combination of both? Can prodigies be created on purpose, or is it something no one can predict or control?

While each musical prodigy has their own unique story, one family is giving the world some early glimpses of what an innate sense for music looks like in a baby who's still in diapers.

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Is it always best to be honest with friends?

A big parenting trend over the past few decades is people giving their children names that help them stand out instead of fit in. Social scientists say that a big reason for the change in America is the rise of individualism.

“As American culture has become more individualistic, parents have favored giving children names that help them stand out—and that means more unique names and fewer common names,” Jean Twenge, a San Diego State University psychology professor, told the BBC.

However, being an individualist comes with some risks. One can be an iconoclastic trendsetter or seen as desperate, inauthentic and cringeworthy.

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