Freddy Bray, a 60-year-old man who allegedly harassed an LGBTQ+-identified motorcyclist for about five minutes - even seemingly grabbing him in a shocking viral TikTok video that has been viewed over 1.8 million times - was reportedly convicted of a misdemeanor assault charge and punished with one year of probation.
The digital editor is responsible for the daily digital presence of Adirondack Explorer. This role ensures our journalism reaches the widest possible audience through savvy social media management, high-performing newsletters, and meticulous website oversight. You will be the primary bridge between our deep-dive reporting and our community of readers, donors and Adirondack enthusiasts. Primary responsibilities 1. Social media & community management
At the dawn of 2026, social media influencers at home and abroad proclaimed it the year of the "analog lifestyle," a call to reduce digital connectivity as smart tech and screen time dominate a person's attention span. Selly Tan, an influencer from California, said people are "craving something real again," and vowed to print her photos, read more books and magazines and take up hobbies that don't need Wi-Fi.
I've been seeing this guy for the last two months. The other day, I found out that he was posted about in a social media group, and I found out by lots of my friends texting me to tell me what had happened. The comments were horrific, saying that he was well known for using cocaine and cheating on ex-girlfriends. I didn't want to believe it but some girls shared screenshots of what he was sending them as recently as the last couple of weeks.
A simple mindful practice that can slow down emotional reaction, invite a breath, and encourage you to pause before you post. Social media has made it easy to broadcast our thoughts and feelings far and wide in an instant. At the same time, we often don't even consider the huge numbers of people who will read what we share. How many friends do you have across your socials? 300 to 400? 500 plus? How often do you really pause before you post?
If it isn't already obvious, you probably shouldn't tell your partner what they can or cannot eat. While this should be clear under any circumstances, you especially should not do it at a restaurant in front of your waiter - but leave it to social media to test that. In a viral new trend gaining millions of likes, women on social media are asking their male partners if they can order something specific in front of their waiters, giving the impression that they usually ask their partner for their approval before ordering certain dishes. In a viral new trend gaining millions of likes, women on social media are asking their
The same deep forces that afflict many Western nations have wrenched us apart: the transition to a postindustrial economy and the attendant erosion of working-class security, the demographic shift toward a "majority minority" nation, the cultural upheaval that has dethroned men, and especially white men, from their age-old dominance - and the rise of entrepreneurs of outrage eager to exploit all that free-floating anger.
The world of transvestigators is a sick, sad, and sorry place to live. But for those of us privileged enough to only glance at it from our car windows, it holds a strange fascination. How can so many people be so psychotically wrong about so many things, all while managing to completely miss the bigger picture? How has this conspiracy theory become so compelling as to overtake the front page conspiracy theory-turned-reality that actually exists?
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared in a Los Angeles court on Wednesday, where he testified in a trial that has put his company in the spotlight over social media's harmful effects on children. A California woman who used Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube as a child has said the apps fueled her depression and suicidal thoughts. The plaintiff started using YouTube at age six, Instagram at 11, then TikTok and Snapchat.
Baby naming is big business. In the pre-internet days, there were books filled with names and their origins and meanings. Then perhaps driven by '80s babies who remember what it's like to be in a homeroom with two other Jennifers, lists of names became popular online. These days, parents turn to social media, apps and even baby name consultants to help them choose the perfect name for their little one.
Studies in the field of cyberpsychology and human behavior tend to link "ex-partner surveillance" on social media with poorer emotional recovery after breakups, including higher levels of distress, stronger longing, and less personal growth. "These findings are indicators that individuals haven't let go," said Michelle Drouin, a professor of psychology at Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana, US. "That impedes recovery and increases the emotional trauma, or the connection to the past partner."
Jason Miller was all set to be the White House communications director for the first Trump administration when news circulated that he'd had an affair with fellow campaign staffer, Arlene "AJ" Delgado. Delgado has a 7-year-old son that she contends belongs to Miller. The pair have spent the better part of a decade now litigating all over the place, from sex discrimination claims in New York federal court to paternity and child support claims floating around Florida.
One of Simon Clark's most popular TikTok videos begins with him playing the part of a clueless climate contrarian. Adopting the overconfident tone that is common among social-media influencers, he proclaims: "Renewables are a scam!" Cut to the real Clark, who has a PhD in stratospheric dynamics and uses the handle @simonoxfphys, as he dismantles several myths about renewable energy using a deadpan style and a torrent of charts. The video, with almost 180,000 views, is an effort to fight misinformation by meeting people where they are, he says.
The first rumblings of dissent began with a couple of 'no-shows' at various important family events. Next we saw Brooklyn, the eldest Beckham, unfollowing his famous parents on social media, then the bombshell Instagram post detailing in graphic detail why he wants nothing to do with dad David, mum Victoria or his siblings - and now, in the latest episode of the Beckham family feud saga, Brooklyn has apparently removed a tattoo dedicated to his father.
Are there "gay names"? We would say there aren't, but that hasn't stopped internet speculation on the matter. One gay man went viral last week with his suggestion of the 'Top 3 Gayest Names'. Hunter Cassidy says he's an expert in the field, but we think that expertise comes mainly from the fact that he's worked in a gay bar and presumably met lots of gay men.
The world of curling has spent decades trying to figure out a way to raise its profile beyond the once-every-four-years curiosity it becomes during the Winter Olympics. Turns out, all it took was a graze of a finger on a 40ish-pound piece of granite, an allegation caught on camera followed by an impassioned expletive-laden response. Social media and the white-hot spotlight that only the Games provide did the rest.
We've all been there. Scrolling through social media at 2 AM, crafting the perfect caption for that sunset photo, or debating whether to post about that promotion. But somewhere along the way, I started noticing patterns in what people share online, including my own posts. The more I observed, the clearer it became: certain types of posts scream insecurity louder than any confession ever could.
Elon Musk's social media platform experienced a global outage today, leaving millions of users unable to access the service for several hours. The disruption affected users across North America, Europe, Asia, and other regions, prompting widespread frustration and speculation about the cause. According to reports from users on other platforms, attempts to log in or refresh feeds resulted in error messages or blank screens.
X experienced an outage on Monday morning, with tens of thousands of users reporting that the platform failed to load across both desktop and mobile. The disruption began around 8:02 a.m. ET, as per Downdetector data, and quickly escalated in the U.S. and U.K. Monday's outage follows a similar issue that befell the social media platform in mid-January. Shortly after 8 a.m. ET, Downdetector showed a sharp rise in incident reports.
"Our fans in Asia are an important part of the FC Bayern family. Their commitment - whether in fan clubs, at public viewings or online - creates a connection across continents. We're very grateful for that. We wish everyone a peaceful, fulfilling and successful new year,"
Chanel, Christian Louboutin and Hermès are names that are synonymous with luxury, signifying elegance, craftmanship and prestige. These brands often use subtle, mysterious signals to communicate their status - things like minimalist designs or the red sole on a Louboutin shoe. Often termed "quiet luxury", this trend is also seen in the world of high-end dining. This approach to luxury branding is aimed at creating a desire in consumers to learn these signals.
The image showed a very dark room, with only a faint outline of Barcelona visible in the background. The only clear element in the photo was a computer screen, also dimly lit, displaying what looked like the beginning of a written text. At the top of the document, a title could be seen: "Chapter 1: My inner abyss." Beneath it, a single line of text was visible.
The question of whether mental health retreats allow social media access does not have a universal answer. Different facilities approach digital connectivity in varying ways, reflecting their treatment philosophies and therapeutic goals. Most mental health retreats limit or completely restrict social media use during the initial phases of treatment, though specific policies can range from total digital detox to supervised access at designated times.
This is becoming a familiar pattern. Brands explode onto social media with fairy-tale success. Then the clock strikes midnight, and they are gone. I run Tony Roma's, a 54-year-old brand ranked No. 2 in Newsweek's Excellence Index, after Starbucks. Our unit count is not what it was in the 1980s, but we continue to serve customers profitably across five continents. Here's the tension: Social media has genuinely democratized entrepreneurship.
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
A year ago, Alexander Widener quit his job to move to Maine and follow an unlikely dream: to open an antiques shop. And it worked: Alexander's shop and guest cottage, Widener Company, is the talk of New England and beyond, thanks in part to Alexander's wild Instagram following. (Perhaps you caught his "Super Bowl" video last weekend-on, yes, bowls.) Before shopkeeper life in the small village of Wiscasset,
Dorian Puka, 29, who has served two prison sentences for burglary and been removed from the country twice before smuggling himself back in, commemorated the milestone with a lavish bash at a London nightclub, complete with burlesque performers and expensive champagne. Video footage showed the convicted thief partying with a person with dwarfism, performing karaoke and puffing on a shisha pipe during Wednesday evening's revelries. Puka secured VIP access at Cirque le Soir, a trendy venue popular with Hollywood stars,
