TikTok Bullying of Kahri Salyars Gives Way to a Kindness Mob’s Support

A painful start on TikTok

Salyars had only just begun her weight loss journey when her husband encouraged her to share a video on TikTok. Posted in March, it drew a toxic response, with people directing hundreds of insults at her over the following month.

Then supportive messages began to overwhelm the abuse. The sudden change seemed difficult to explain, and Salyars thought it might have been an organized effort to defend her.

A group behind the shift

The effort came from The Kindness Mob, a group run by Tyler Brickley of Kansas City, Missouri. It has about half a million members and works quietly to push back against online spite. The group selects someone facing bullying and responds with compliments. Brickley described the approach as deliberately over the top, saying, “It feels outrageous, but that's exactly what we're trying to do.”

Confidence returns

Salyars eventually learned Brickley had been behind the change in responses. She says the support helped restore her confidence. Brickley called the work deeply meaningful to him, saying, “And it's the most beautiful thing I've ever been a part of.”