Back in 2011, the internet had one of its first viral videos in the form of (then) 13-year-old Rebecca Black's single, 'Friday.' It literally surpassed Justin Bieber's 'Baby' to become the most disliked video on YouTube [at the time] -- and even all these years later, the track is still used for ironic TGIF celebrations.
Now as a grown woman, Rebecca has shared an open letter to herself on the 9 year anniversary of the infamous song's release, detailing how it felt to experience such intense bullying and noting that it took years for any producers to agree to work with her.
The response to her letter has been incredibly positive, with tons of people reflecting on how important it is to remember that there are real people behind the memes and videos we're laughing at.
Black was touched by the empathy and compassion surrounding the situation now, and to be honest, I am too. It's encouraging to see that we've all grown up to be more considerate.