Thursday, June 21, 2012

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Android Is the Top Brand Among LGBT Consumers [STUDY]”

Mashable: Latest 29 News Updates - including “Android Is the Top Brand Among LGBT Consumers [STUDY]”


Android Is the Top Brand Among LGBT Consumers [STUDY]

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 05:19 AM PDT




Android is the best-perceived brand among the gay community, but iPhone is not far behind, according to a new survey.

YouGov polled 5,000 consumers a day during a recent 12-week period and culled responses from those who identified themselves as gay, lesbian or transgender (about 5.25% of a total of 300,000 consumers.) The result was a resounding win for Android, a brand that didn't even make the list last year, when YouTube took the top prize. Apple's iPhone was number eight on 2011's rankings.

The complete list:

YouGov BrandIndex's measurement is based on a 100 to -100 scale and is compiled by subtracting negative feedback from positive. A zero score means equal positive and…
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More About: android, brand, LGBT


MTV’s ‘MADE’ Seeks New Followers With Twitter-Inspired Name Change

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 05:10 AM PDT




Television networks are in hot pursuit of a big Twitter presence, but none have gone so far as MTV. The network's long-running reality series MADE returned for its 12th season on Monday with a new name: MADE #DreamBigger.

We know what you're thinking: "MADE is still on the air?" Apparently, MTV knows you're thinking that, too. The network is making a clear play for relevancy with the name change. To its credit, this is the first time that a network has been so blatant about its interest in social media buzz and we can appreciate that. But that's not all; as we've learned from many a makeover episode of MADE, change something on the outside and you're bound to make a few changes on the…
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More About: dreambigger, hashtag, made, mtv, television, Twitter


Windows Phone 8 and Two Other Stories You Need to Know

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 04:50 AM PDT




Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening in the digital world. Today, we're looking at three particularly interesting stories.

Microsoft Unveils Windows Phone 8

At its Windows Phone Developer Conference in San Francisco, Microsoft has unveiled its next generation mobile platform -- Windows Phone 8.

Unfortunately, some bad news came with the announcement: Nokia will not be upgrading current Lumia devices to the new platform. Instead, some of its features will be brought to Lumias in the form of Windows Phone 7.8 -- check out our first look here.

Samsung Galaxy S II on AT&T and Sony Xperia S Get A
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More About: features, first to know series, mashable, microsoft, Windows Phone 8


7 Cool Gadgets to Chill Your Summer Drinks

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 04:10 AM PDT


1. USB LED Beverage Cooler




This miniature USB-powered refrigerator will keep one can of drink nicely chilled. For that authentic fridge look, a blue LED light turns on when you open the door. Cost: $19.99

Click here to view this gallery.




Nothing beats an ice-cold beverage on a hot summer day. To save you from warm beer, tepid wine and unchilled cans, we have gathered up seven solutions to cool down your drink of choice.

Whether you're looking for a desktop gadget, a stylish solution for your kitchen countertop or a novelty mini-fridge, we have found a gizmo to suit.

SEE ALSO: 10 Great Desktop Gadgets to Quench Your Thirst

Take a look through our selection in the slideshow above. Let us know in the comments below about any other cool drink-chilling gadgetry you've come across.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Christopher Woo

More About: accessories, features, Gadgets, home, lifestyle, office, Tech


Angry Grandma Shoots MacBook and iPhone [VIDEO]

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 03:48 AM PDT




Here's a grandmother that really can't stand Apple products -- she hates them so much, in fact, that she unloads dozens of bullets into a MacBook Pro and a couple of iPhones.

Of course, it's all just a marketing campaign for a company called Clearplex, which produces screen protectors for mobile phones, tablets and computers.

The video is fun enough to watch, although many commenters on YouTube (and we tend to agree) did not appreciate the somewhat awkward narration that seems to mimic Apple's promo flicks.

And, although we've seen Apple products destroyed in the most gruesome ways before, there's just something oddly fascinating about pieces of modern technology being des…
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More About: iphone, macbook, shooting


Where the Hell Is Matt? All Over the World, as Usual [VIDEO]

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 02:40 AM PDT




Remember "Where the Hell Is Matt," a viral video from 2008 in which game designer Matt Harding travels around the world, dancing his dance in dozens of unlikely places? Well, four years later, Matt is back, and he's still dancing.

This time, he's been to places like Kigali, Rwanda; Damascus, Syria; Poria, Papua New Guinea; Pyongyang, North Korea and Kapon, Thailand, among many others.

In fact, some of the cities Matt has visited didn't make it into the final cut, but Matt promises to add them to the outtakes video which will become available soon.

Check out the original "Where the Hell Is Matt" video here and tell us how you like the new one in the comments!

More About: Matt Harding, trending, where the hell is Matt


Euro 2012: How Soccer is Going Digital

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 01:50 AM PDT




The Euro 2012 European soccer championship begins its elimination phase Thursday after nearly two scintillating weeks of group play in Poland and Ukraine.

As the stakes raise on the pitch, Mashable spoke with David Farrelly, the head of UEFA.com, to get a sense of how soccer's second biggest international tournament is playing out in the digital realm. (The Union of European Football Associations is the governing body of European soccer and runs the Continent's once-every-four-years championship.)

We were surprised to learn that the United States accounts for a bigger percentage of traffic to UEFA.com than one might think. It consistently places in the top four -- along with the Unite…
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More About: sports


Video Games: An Industry in Flux [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:15 AM PDT




Video games aren't going anywhere. But where and how we play them has shifted dramatically in recent years, thanks in large part to the smartphone explosion.

Sales of physical media are down after a peak in 2008 -- no surprise there. But despite the proliferation of apps and digital delivery systems like Steam, Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network, discs still drive the majority of the industry's revenue, and consoles remain strong. But tides are slowly turning. In 2011, it was a 69% / 31% split on physical vs. digital downloads.

SEE ALSO: 23 Gorgeous Gaming Wallpapers for Your Desktop

And while the types of games people play are shifting as well, even the most successf…
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More About: Entertainment, Gaming, infographics, video games


CD-ROM Favs ‘Arthur’ and ‘Little Monsters’ Arrive on the iPad

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 11:46 PM PDT




The iPad may be the shiny new toy, but the issue of kids tossing aside old forms of media has been around for some time.

Before mobile devices, the home computer represented the conflict between traditional and interactive media. And while parents then were worried books might get lost, Living Books came along in 1992 and brought them to life on CD-ROM, making them appealing and truly interactive.

One or two pages of "Little Monster at School" was all it took to teach a young child how to master a mouse. Mouse clicks brought silly animations, and the words on the screen were read aloud. It was a new way to learn to read and kids and parents were hooked.

Fast forward twenty years…
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More About: e-books, kids apps, Living Books


Google Fights to Save 3,054 Languages

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:42 PM PDT




Will you be any worse off the moment humans cease to speak in Aragonese? How about Navajo or Ojibwa? Or Koro, a language only just discovered in a tiny corner of northeast India?

No, you probably wouldn't, not in that moment. But humanity would be. Science, art and culture would be. If, as the phrase goes, another language equals another soul, then some 3,054 souls -- 50% of the world's total languages -- are set to die out by 2100.

If there is hope, it lies in the world's centers of information -- such as Google. The search giant's philanthropic arm, Google.org, has launched the Endangered Language project, a website devoted to preserving those ancient tongues that are now only sp…
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More About: Google.org


15 ‘Jaws’-Dropping Shark Memes Circling the Web

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:54 PM PDT




Wednesday marks the 37th anniversary of the film Jaws, a cult classic that continues to instill fear in beach dwellers today, thanks to that terrifying giant shark.

The 1975 film was monumental in the history of thrillers and summer blockbusters. From the shark itself to the theme song, which is still used to signify impending doom, most of us grew up afraid of deep waters -- even if it was just our neighbor's pool.

Jaws was also one of the first productions to distribute a wide national release with heavy television advertising. Before that, a film entered new markets very slowly and built support from an audience over time.

In celebration of the film, we've gathered some of…
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More About: features, films, Meme, Movies, sharks


Ask Your DIY, Renovation and Gardening Questions on HomeTalk

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:28 PM PDT




The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: HomeTalk

Quick Pitch: A community specifically for home renovators and DIY-ers to share pictures, tips and chat.

Genius Idea: Combining the pin idea of Pinterest and community hive-mind of Quora, HomeTalk is a specialized site for all home-related interests.

Ever see a beautiful picture of a perfectly manicured lawn and wonder, "How did they do that?" With HomeTalk, users can virtually mingle with the home owners who posted those pictures and ask how it was done.…
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More About: bizspark, decorating, HomeTalk


Sassy Twitter Account Parodies Tumblr CEO

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 07:15 PM PDT


1. On Meeting His Followers...




Click here to view this gallery.




Tumblr CEO David Karp isn't behind the wildly comical Twitter account @DavidKrap, and that's probably a good thing. The parody account tweets about Tumblr, but with an edge that's sometimes provocative, sometimes borderline cheesy. (For the record, Karp's real Twitter handle is @davidkarp.)

Solely judging by his (many) tweets, the creator appears to still be in school and is a major Tumblr fanboy. Since its launch on April 24, the @DavidKrap account has grown to almost 30,000 followers. Here are some of the most memorable tweets.

More About: tumblr, Twitter, twitter parodies


20 Close-Up Photos of Texture You Can Almost Feel

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:26 PM PDT


Kyle Dove




Click here to view this gallery.




Texture represents an object's feel or consistency. You can feel the glossy texture of your computer keys or the slick condensation of a glass of water.

But take a look at these 20 photos. You can see texture, too. From the stickiness of an old piece of gum to the fuzziness of a spider's skin, sometimes you can see the texture of an object almost as well as you can feel it.

For this week's Mashable Photo Challenge, we wanted to explore the visual side of texture. So we asked our readers to take a close look at the world around them.

SEE ALSO: 33 Stunning Weather Photos From Readers Around the World

Readers sent in all kinds of close-ups that show texture. We selected 20 of th…
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More About: community, Mashable Photo Challenge, photography, Photos


Larry Ellison Buys Sixth Largest Hawaiian Island

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:06 PM PDT




Pop quiz: what are you going to buy when you become a billionaire? For many of us, the hypothetical answer is "an island."

For Oracle co-founder and CEO Larry Ellison, however, that's no hypothetical. He just bought an island (well, 98% of one). And not just any island, but the sixth largest in Hawaii -- Lana'i.

"Mr. Ellison has had a long standing interest in Lana'i," Hawaii governor Neil Abercrombie said in a statement released late Wednesday.

"His passion for nature, particularly the ocean, is well known specifically in the realm of America's Cup sailing. He is also a businessman whose record of community involvement in medical research and education causes is equally not…
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More About: Larry Ellison, oracle


Ringbow Brings Finer Game Control to Touch Devices

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 05:22 PM PDT




Gamers today have immersed themselves in the world of mobile gaming from Angry Birds to Cut The Rope to Doodle Jump, leaving behind the console and button-smashing classics of yesteryear. To navigate these worlds, we've become increasingly accustomed to touch control as our primary user interface, but touch gaming isn't perfect. Saar Shai and Efrat Bari believe they have a solution that can improve our mobile gaming experience, an accessory they call Ringbow.

Ringbow is a Bluetooth device worn on the index finger and operated with the thumb. The device can act as a joystick or mouse or can be used in conjunction with touch controls to add layers of…
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More About: mobile gaming, Ringbow, touch


First Look: Windows Phone 7.8 On a Lumia 900

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 04:50 PM PDT




Microsoft may not be bringing Windows Phone 8 to existing devices; however, the company will be bringing the new redesigned home screen from Windows Phone 8 over to some existing phones -- in the form of Windows Phone 7.8.

The decision to not bring Windows Phone 8 over to existing handsets was based on hardware, Microsoft says. Windows Phone 8 now supports tech such as multiple core processors, higher screen resolutions, and NFC –- things that existing phones simply don't have the hardware for.

While it may not make sense for Microsoft to offer Windows Phone 8 on devices that can't take advantage of what it has to offer, the home screen is one feature that everyone can enjoy.…
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More About: microsoft, Windows, windows phone, Windows Phone 7.8, Windows Phone 8


See This: Doctor to Live Stream Eye Surgery Thursday

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 04:22 PM PDT




Like many patients weighing surgery, Josh Leavitt of Salt Lake City is performing his due diligence -- reading up on corrective eye procedures, consulting medical pros and talking to others who have had similar operations.

But on Thursday, Leavitt will be able to add a more unusual item to that list of background information -- watching live video of his potential surgery broadcast publicly on the Internet.

How? Dr. Robert Rivera of the Hoopes Vision Institute in Salt Lake City will use Ustream to broadcast his implantable contact lens (ICL) operation on a female patient. He says he wants to provide the live broadcast not only for prospective customers for his own private practice…
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More About: streaming video, ustream


6 Ways to Gamify Your Facebook Marketing

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 03:59 PM PDT




Despite recent issues with its stock, Facebook remains the juggernaut of social media. With the platform on track to reach a billion users, and a new emphasis on revenue, the company is increasingly focused on how to make social work for business customers.

Currently, the most prolific Facebook feature for business is the brand page. At last count, there were more than 42 million of them, with activity that ranged from 10 likes to millions. As a result, mainstream marketers are increasingly focused on attracting, retaining, and engaging audiences on the platform.

As marketing on Facebook pages grows, so does the interest in using gamification -- or the process of leveraging game…
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More About: contributor, Facebook, features, gamification, social network


Holder Contempt Vote: How Congress Reacted on Twitter

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 03:22 PM PDT




The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee voted 23-17 along party lines Wednesday afternoon to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress.

The charge says Holder withheld documents related to a botched plan to track gun trafficking.

The plan, dubbed Operation Fast and Furious, involved allowing weapons to be sold to known drug traffickers in Mexico with the goal of eventually tracking them to cartel bosses. The operation is largely considered a failure; most of the guns have yet to be recovered, and high-level arrests have not been made.

Fast and Furious became publicly known after guns sold under the program were used in the killing of Brian Terry, a U.S.…
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More About: barack obama, congress, darrell issa, eric holder, fast and furious, Politics, Social Media, US


Pinterest Gives Copyright Credit to Etsy, Kickstarter, SoundCloud

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 03:00 PM PDT




After Pinterest's trove of copyrighted content became the subject of a legal debate, the popular social site made efforts to automatically add citations to content from specific sources. On Wednesday, it announced that it had expanded this practice to five new sites.

Since May, the feature had added citations to any content Pinned from Flickr, YouTube, Behance or Vimeo. Now content Pinned from photography community 500px, Etsy, Kickstarter, Slideshare and SoundCloud will enjoy the same automatic citations -- which can't be edited.

Although Pinterest's Terms of Use prohibit its members from posting copyrighted material without permission, it doesn't take more than a quick look at the si…
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More About: copyright, pinterest


Veepstakes: How Romney’s Potential Picks Stack Up On Social Media

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 02:20 PM PDT




Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney's selection of a running mate -- the "veepstakes" -- may be drawing near. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty may be the leading contender, but there are plenty of other names being tossed around -- including Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

All three of these potential vice presidential candidates have a web and social media presence, so let's take a look:

Tim Pawlenty

Pawlenty, known as T-Paw, is considered to have the strongest chance of sharing the ticket with Romney -- but his Internet presence is pretty thin.

His website is currently under construction. Visitors are greeted with a "coming soon pag…
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More About: 2012 presidential campaign, Facebook, Mitt Romney, Politics, republicans, Social Media, trending, Twitter, US, vice president, YouTube


Internet Gives Harassed Bus Monitor a $80,000 Vacation [UPDATED]

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 01:54 PM PDT




Karen Klein, the bus monitor who was verbally abused in Greece, N.Y. by the group of 12- to 15-year-olds she was supervising, is about to go on one heck of a great vacation.

An indiegogo fundraiser in her name has pulled in more than $80,000 to send her on her way. (The amount continues to rise; we'll update the numbers as it does.)

The fundraiser was started by Reddit user Max Sidorov of Toronto, Canada. When Sidorov heard about Klein's salary -- $15,506, according to a district website -- he decided she did not make enough money to have to put up with that type of harassment.

The original fundraising goal was $5,000 -- which was beaten in under five hours.

"I thought we…
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More About: trending


Can Social Media Save the Planet? Highlights From #RioPlusSocial

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 01:25 PM PDT




Mashable, along with the United Nations Foundation and 92nd Street Y, hosted Rio+Social at the Rio conference Tuesday. It offered a wide-ranging global conversation about the impact of social media and technology on sustainability.

SEE MASHABLE'S COMPLETE COVERAGE OF RIO+SOCIAL

Attendees and live-stream viewers from across the globe participated in the dialogue. We've curated some of the best photos, quotes and commentary from the social web in a Storify. Check it out below -- and tell us in the comments what you think about digital media's role in the future of our planet.

[View the story "#RioPlusSocial: Digital Media's Impact on Sustainability" on Storify]

More About: Rio plus social


HotelTonight Expands Into Europe, Now Offering Deals in London

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 01:02 PM PDT




Just ahead of the London Olympics, last-minute hotel booking app HotelTonight is headed to the United Kingdom.

Launching Wednesday, the app is now offering last-minute hotel bookings in London, with plans to expand the service to other parts of the UK in the near future. Notable hotels signed up to be part of service include the Blakes Hotel London, St Martins Lane London, and The Cadogan.

HotelTonight is an app that lets you do exactly what it sounds like -- book a hotel...tonight.

The company partners with hotels in different areas, offering a bargain on three hotels each day. Hotels are hand-picked by HotelTonight, and are each given a rating based on the type of experience you…
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More About: App, HotelTonight, travel


‘Words With Friends’ and ‘Draw Something’ Coming to Windows Phone Marketplace

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 12:36 PM PDT




Words With Friends and Draw Something -- two Zynga games that have dominated iOS and Android mobile gaming markets are coming to the Windows 8 Phone platform.

Microsoft announced the new operating system at the Windows Phone Summit on Wednesday in San Francisco. Microsoft announced there are more than 100,000 apps on the Windows Phone Marketplace.

The social games will be available for download on Windows Marketplace in the fall. Top games on the Windows Phone are Angry Birds, Battleship, Fruit Ninja and Final Fantasy.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Reveals Windows Phone 8

Zynga released Words With Friends in July 2009. Mobile gamers went crazy for the Scrabble-like mobile crossword game.…
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More About: Draw something, games, Gaming, Windows Phone 8, words with friends


Twitter Explains Just How Hot It Is Outside

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 12:24 PM PDT


1. @Dubb_B




Spike Lee's film Do the Thing Right documents the hottest day of the year in 1989, but it feels pretty close to that outside right now.

Click here to view this gallery.




In case you haven't been outside or on Twitter today, the U.S. is experiencing a bit of a heat wave.

Users turn to social media to openly express how they feel about extreme temperatures. Whenever there's a blizzard or unusually high heat index, it's likely that a portion of your followers will let you know.

There's also the Weather Channel, where you can see for yourself how hot it is.

SEE ALSO: 33 Stunning Weather Photos From Readers Around the World

But some Twitter users have found more entertaining ways to communicate what it feels like outside. We've rounded up 10 unusual things that Twitter users believe to the temperature to be hotter than.

How hot does it feel outsi…
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More About: features, humor, Social Media, summer, trending, Twitter, Weather


5 Apps That Reward You Just for Using Them

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 12:08 PM PDT




It turns out you can be rewarded for watching television, going shopping or buying music from the iTunes store. In fact, you can collect points with the punch of a button on your iPhone or Android smartphone and redeem those points for gift cards, discounts, and gadgets like tablets. How's this possible? Apps, of course.

Creators behind apps like Viggle, ShopKick, CheckPoints, and Wikets all find that mobile devices are changing the ways people interact and shop, which is why these companies are jumping on the bandwagon. "You could make the case that mobile will have a greater impact on the way people shop than the Internet did over a decade ago," says Dave Heinzinger, a CheckPoints s…
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More About: contributor, features, mobile apps, trending, viggle


Get Your Kid’s Attention With Social Media [COMIC]

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 11:51 AM PDT




Facebook might be fair game, but Twitter is off-limits for stalker moms. Unfortunately, you'll never really know if she's lurking in the shadows behind your public profile.

SEE ALSO: The First Rule of Facebook Stalking [COMIC]

@MistookMistake's hilarious tweet is illustrated by Twaggies. Be sure to check out more great Twaggies comics on Mashable, and let us know if you've spied a funny tweet that's just begging for a visual.

More About: comics, funny, humor, Social Media, Twitter


Internet Strikes Back After Bus Monitor Harassed

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 11:34 AM PDT




On June 19, a video went viral on YouTube of a group of 12-15-year-old children verbally abusing a 69-year-old bus monitor in Greece, N.Y. named Karen Klein.

Storify user Ben Doernberg has documented the overwhelming response to the video on Reddit, 4chan, and in the media. As of 2:10 pm ET, more than $40,000 dollars had been raised to send the harassed woman on vacation. Several Reddit users have reached out to local authorities, and members of 4chan are trying to locate the young individuals who were involved in the incident.

Check out the Storify below for more details.

SEE ALSO: Internet Gives Harassed Bus Monitor a $40,000 Vacation

[View the story "The Bus Monitor's Inter
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More About: 4chan, cyberbullying, reddit, YouTube


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