You can run but you can't hide!

It goes without saying that the internet has had disastrous implications for young victims of bullying.

Once upon a time, children and teens who were bullied at school could find safe haven at home or elsewhere. But the internet is ever-present and nowadays, victims are vulnerable to online bullying 24 hours a day. We've all heard the tragic stories of children bullied online who become so depressed and desperate that they have even resorted to suicide.

But what about the perpetrators of bullying? Just like victims can't permanently erase cruel social media posts written about them, the perpetrators who write those cruel posts, also leave damaging digital footprints.

Take for example, the case of Japanese composer Keigo Oyamada, 52, whose music was supposed to be played during the opening ceremonies of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Oyamada's digital footprint revealed that he bullied classmates with disabilities during childhood. When interviewed by magazines in the 1990s, Oyamada bragged about the bullying saying he "had no regrets.". He only saw fit to apologize when his position with the Olympics was threatened. Check out this article in the NY Times, that covers the scandal which ended with the composer's resignation.