Elon Musk goes scorched earth on country after it bans Twitter for refusing to bow
Politicians and many other X users took to the social media platform on Saturday to sound off on their disapproval of the site being banned in Brazil after a court-imposed deadline expired for the company to identify a legal representative in Brazil.
“X is the most used news source in Brazil. It is what the people want. Now, the tyrant de Voldemort is crushing the people’s right to free speech,” Elon Musk, owner of X, wrote following the decision.
The move is the latest chapter in an ongoing feud between a Brazilian Supreme Court justice and Musk, which also included the freezing of the satellite internet provider Starlink’s financial accounts in Brazil, which is 40% owned by Musk.
“The current Brazilian administration likes to wear the cloak of a free democracy, while crushing the people under its boot,” Musk wrote.
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In the decision, Moraes ordered the full and immediate suspension of X in the country until all related court orders on X were complied with, including the payment of fines amounting to 18.5 million reais ($3.28 million) and the nomination of a legal representative in Brazil.
In a move to avoid the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to get around the blockage, Moraes said that individuals or companies who tried to keep access to the social network could be fined up to 50,000 reais a day, which is equal to nearly $9,000.
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Several people backed Musk, sharing their outrage over the ban.
“Brazil is banning X for one reason: to suppress free speech and thought. Unsurprisingly, Lula supports this decision, because he too seeks to ban free speech and thought. Biden courted Lula, celebrated his election, and called him a personal friend. That too is unsurprising,” Texas Senator Ted Cruz wrote in a post on X. “The Biden-Harris administration has shown nothing but contempt for free speech here in the United States.”
Outkick host Clay Travis also pointed out that the NFL was hosting a game in Brazil next week and called for them to take action and refuse to play the game in the embattled country.
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“I doubt the NFL would do it, but it would be a strong move to support freedom of speech by canceling next Friday’s game in Brazil over the banning of X in the country & playing Eagles-Packers back home in the US. US reporters, teams & players won’t be able to Tweet from Brazil,” Travis wrote in a post on X.
Cruz shared his post and added his own comments on the situation.
“Amen. If the NFL gives a damn about the Constitution & free speech, they should cancel the game immediately,” Cruz wrote.
Musk took a jab at the United States, hinting that this type of censorship could happen if Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are elected.
“The attacks this year on free speech are unprecedented in the 21st century. It will happen in America too if Kamala/Walz gain power. Just listen to what they’ve said,” Musk wrote.
De Moraes ordered X to take down specific accounts earlier this year, accusing the platform of harboring “digital militias” he claims were spreading misinformation and hateful material regarding former President Jair Bolsonaro.
“Due to demands by “Justice” [de Moraes] in Brazil that would require us to break (in secret) Brazilian, Argentinian, American and international law, 𝕏 has no choice but to close our local operations in Brazil,” Musk said in a previous post on X. “He is an utter disgrace to justice.”
On Friday, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva backed de Moraes’ decision and took a stab at Musk for positioning himself as though he was above the law during an interview with Radio MaisPB.
“Any citizen, from anywhere in the world, who has investments in Brazil, is subject to the Brazilian Constitution and Brazilian laws,” Lula said.
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Bluesky, a social media platform that was launched last year as an alternative to X and other social media sites, has seen a large influx of Brazilians in the past couple of days, the AP reported.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
Former Clinton official claims Elon should be threatened with arrest for allowing free speech
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, who served during Bill Clinton’s presidency, wrote in a column published Friday that Elon Musk was “out of control,” and argued he needed to be reined in.
“He may be the richest man in the world. He may own one of the world’s most influential social media platforms. But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless to stop him,” Reich wrote, including a list of six things people could do to rein in Musk.
After Musk purchased Twitter in 2022, now known as X, Reich deemed the purchase “dangerous nonsense.” He argued Musk’s purchase was “just about power,” rather than free speech.
Reich called on people to boycott Tesla and X and added, “Regulators around the world should threaten Musk with arrest if he doesn’t stop disseminating lies and hate on X.”
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Reich argued that global regulators might already be considering threatening Musk with an arrest, citing France’s arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.
Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport outside Paris last week as part of a sweeping investigation opened earlier this year. French prosecutors alleged that he allowed criminal activity on the messaging app, and judges ordered him to pay 5 million euros bail. Allegations against Durov include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.
“In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission should demand that Musk take down lies that are likely to endanger individuals – and if he does not, sue him under Section Five of the FTC Act,” Reich argued. “Musk’s free-speech rights under the first amendment don’t take precedence over the public interest.”
The former labor secretary also suggested the U.S. government terminate its contracts with Musk’s Space X.
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“Why is the US government allowing Musk’s satellites and rocket launchers to become crucial to the nation’s security when he’s shown utter disregard for the public interest? Why give Musk more economic power when he repeatedly abuses it and demonstrates contempt for the public good?” he wrote.
Reich’s final suggestion was that Americans “make sure Musk’s favorite candidate for president is not elected.”
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Musk endorsed Donald Trump after the former president narrowly avoided an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Moment hoverboard-riding circus bear attacks handler in front of screaming families
A circus trainer almost met his end in front of a live audience when a performing bear turned on him during a show in front of hundreds of children and parents.
“Towards the end of the act, the bear snapped at Sergei and wrestled with him,” Nikita Mikhailov, head of the Moretti Circus, told reporters after the incident. “Their performance continued.”
The female brown bear, named Donut and weighing around 490 pounds, was riding a hoverboard when she suddenly turned and jumped at her trainer, Sergei Prichinich, at the circus in Russia.
Donut pinned Prichinich to the ground and snapped at him for about half a minute before a worker outside the cage prodded the bear and allowed the trainer to get back to his feet.
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Mikhailov noted that the tamer “waited for the bear to calm down, got up, continued the routine with her, sealed it with a kiss, and that was it – the show continued as usual,” according to East2West.
In video footage released on Telegram and obtained by the media, the bear gnawed at a stick that the trainer held up to protect himself, and once the worker prodded her, she lost all aggression and walked away from him.
Mikhailov praised Prichinich for not losing his cool and allowing Donut to let out her aggression.
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“This is an animal, and they can behave differently, they may not like something, they can express their emotions this way,” Mikhailov said. “Every trainer understands this.”
Russian animal rights campaigner Yuri Koretskikh noted that while the incident ended safely, it could have gone awry, and he called for a ban on live animal performances.
“While modern world circus art is rapidly moving towards humanity, banning the use of animals in circuses, the Russian circus lobby is actively resisting progress, defending its commercial interests,” Koretskikh said.
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Russia has struggled with animal rights as a high-profile issue in recent years, leading Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018 to sign a bill banning all forms of animal cruelty, according to TASS.
The law, however, did not cover animal performances, which have remained a focus for animal rights activists.
The Russian governing body, the Duma in 2023 proposed a bill that would ban the use of circus animals in the country, with the bill moving to the lower chamber in October, according to Russian outlet Vet and Life.
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Alexey Nechaev and Vladislav Davankov, the co-authors of the bill, stressed the desire to “protect the lives and welfare of animals involved in circus performances,” citing examples of more extreme animal abuse in circuses.
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office in 2022 published a report that found 116 cases of illegal use and 48 cases of animal cruelty in a review of over 500 animal shelters.
Doctor warns Americans: Know this before trusting COVID vaccine narrative
A growing number of Americans are skeptical of vaccines for COVID and other infectious diseases, according to the most recent national health survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.
More than a quarter of respondents (28%) said they believe the COVID vaccines have contributed to thousands of deaths, according to a press release. This is an increase from 22% in June 2021.
Meanwhile, 22% of respondents said they are under the assumption that it is safer to contract COVID than it would be to get vaccinated — an increase from 10% in April 2021.
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Also, 15% of Americans said they believe the vaccine “changes people’s DNA,” up from 8% since the last survey.
The survey gathered input from nearly 1,500 U.S. adults.
“Belief in these three misconceptions is associated with increased reluctance to vaccinate,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center and director of the survey, in the release.
The survey also found that only 20% of people are “somewhat or very worried” that they or a family member will be infected with COVID, compared to 25% in February 2024 and 35% in October 2023, the researchers shared.
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The results come just after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s approval of updated COVID vaccines.
“With the CDC reporting that COVID-19 infection remains an ongoing threat and an updated vaccine available, now is the time to ramp up awareness both of the value of vaccinating against COVID-19 and of the risks of contracting the disease,” Jamieson added.
Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity expert, was not involved in the survey but commented on its findings to Fox News Digital.
“Mainstream narratives continue to emphasize the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, but it’s important to take a closer look at the full picture, particularly when considering the risks and benefits of vaccination versus natural immunity — especially in 2024,” he said.
One of the most publicized risks associated with mRNA vaccines is myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, Osborn noted — particularly in younger males.
“It’s important to take a closer look at the full picture … when considering the risks and benefits.”
“Although rare, the occurrence of myocarditis is a serious risk, leading to hospitalization and, in some cases, long-term health issues or death,” he said.
Additional risks include neurological complications, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, and other nervous system-related issues like acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), the doctor said.
“While these are not common, their existence is undeniable, and they highlight the need for further discussion about the potential risks of vaccination, especially given the lack of long-term studies,” he told Fox News Digital.
“After all, these vaccines are only several years old and, therefore, have not been vetted appropriately – so, in essence, Americans are the ‘study cohort.’”
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As far as whether the vaccine changes humans’ DNA, Osborn said that is a myth.
“The mRNA in these vaccines instructs cells to produce a spike protein, which triggers an immune response, and then the mRNA is quickly broken down and eliminated from the body,” he said.
“There is no evidence to suggest that mRNA can integrate into human DNA.”
The doctor called for transparent communication from health authorities to dispel myths, while also addressing legitimate concerns about the long-term effects of “novel vaccine technology.”
Osborn also pointed out that the COVID landscape has “drastically changed” since the virus emerged in 2020.
“The current strains of the virus, being RNA-based, have undergone numerous mutations that have generally made them less virulent,” he said.
“This is not about being anti-vaccine, but about making informed, balanced decisions based on the current scientific evidence and the realities of the virus.”
“As a result, for the vast majority of the population — particularly those who are healthy and under 60 — a COVID-19 infection today is more likely to result in mild, flu-like symptoms rather than severe illness or death.”
In light of this, Osborn said, it may be reasonable to question the push for widespread vaccination — “especially when natural infection can lead to robust, long-lasting immunity.”
Studies have consistently shown that natural immunity, developed after recovering from an infection, is often more comprehensive and longer-lasting than vaccine-induced immunity, according to Osborn.
“While vaccines have played an essential role in controlling the pandemic, the evolving landscape demands a nuanced approach that respects individual choice, acknowledges the risks in the context of the benefits, and recognizes the power of natural immunity,” the doctor said.
“This is not about being anti-vaccine, but about making informed, balanced decisions based on the current scientific evidence and the realities of the virus as it exists today.”
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Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, said he recommends the updated COVID vaccines for high-risk groups.
“I believe the vaccines remain effective at decreasing risks of severe disease and long COVID, and should especially be considered in high-risk groups, including those with chronic diseases and the elderly,” he told Fox News Digital just after the FDA’s approval of the new vaccines for 2024-2025.
“Beyond this, it should be a personal choice, a discussion between doctor and patient, keeping in mind that viral load and transmission does decrease somewhat in the period after immunization.”
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Regarding the potential side effects, Siegel stated that the risks of the virus — including myocarditis and brain fog — are “far greater,” and that the vaccine decreases those risks.
“It’s far from perfect, but still quite useful,” the doctor said.
“I believe the vaccines remain effective at decreasing risks of severe disease and long COVID, and should especially be considered in high-risk groups.”
“There is a big upsurge of COVID FLirt subvariants right now, and the vaccine specifically covers these.”
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive the updated COVID-19 vaccination. That includes women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
As of the week ending Aug. 24, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 17% of COVID tests were positive.
Meanwhile, 2.5% of those visiting emergency departments were diagnosed as COVID-19 — a drop of 1% from the prior week.
The percentage of deaths related to COVID was 2.2%, per the CDC, up from 1.9% the prior week.
Rock star stops concert to deliver Jesus message challenging culture’s ‘lies’
The lead singer of the rock band 3 Doors Down paused a recent show to share a message about the love of Jesus with thousands of fans.
The band, perhaps best known for its 2000 hit song “Kryptonite,” was performing at Hersheypark Stadium in Pennsylvania on August 23, when singer Brad Arnold decided to share the uplifting message, PennLive first reported.
“I feel like I can identify with this song more than most of our songs,” he said about their next song in the set, “Away From the Sun.” “This world surrounds us with a message that we’ll never be good enough, we’ll never be strong enough, we’ll never be beautiful enough, we’ll never be rich enough. Whatever the case may be. Certainly that we’ll never win. Social media surrounds us with those messages all the time. It’s driven down our throats every day, that we’ll never be good enough and that nobody really, really loves us,” he began, according to video footage of the event shared on YouTube.
“My friends, I just want to take a second to tell you, that’s an absolute lie,” he continued.
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“You are loved. You are enough, and you will win. Not only can you win, but you will win. You’ll always be enough for one reason. And that’s because Jesus Christ loves you,” he told the crowd.
Some fans cheered and applauded the singer’s message.
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Arnold added, “Jesus Christ loves you so much that he made you just the way you are, just the way you’re standing there right now.”
“He also loves you to let you know that you’re not complete,” he continued. “I promise you there’s more, and you will win.”
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“I failed all day today. You failed today. But you’re still the one that Jesus loves,” Arnold said before leading the large crowd in a chant of, “I am the one that Jesus loves.”
“Amen, my friends. Thank you so much.” he added.
According to CBN, this isn’t the first time Arnold has been open about his faith on stage.
He is also outspoken about his beliefs on social media, where he sometimes reposts Bible verses.
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Former NFL star slams Clemson for having too many ‘White dudes’ on team
Roddy White, a former Atlanta Falcons star who was a top performer for the UAB Blazers, took a shot at the Clemson Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
No. 13 Clemson was hoping to start the season with an upset over No. 1 Georgia. But the Tigers fell off the pace in the second half after keeping it a six-point game at halftime. Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck threw two touchdowns in the second half while Nate Frazier and Cash Jones ran for one touchdown each.
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Georgia won the game 34-3.
White criticized Clemson’s recruiting strategy and made race a factor.
“Clemson got way to (sic) many White dudes on the field on offense this ain’t them. U mean to tell me u only got one Black dude out there making plays that’s a recruiting problem,” he wrote on X.
Dabo Swinney took over the Clemson football program in the middle of the 2008 season. He led the team to a Gator Bowl appearance after the Tigers won four of their final five games of the regular season. The team lost to Nebraska in the bowl game.
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It was enough for Swinney to keep the head coaching position and build the Tigers into a national powerhouse. He won two national championships with Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence as his quarterbacks.
Players like Watson, Dwayne Allen, Vic Beasley, Da’Quan Bowers, Travis Etienne, Clelin Ferrell, Mitch Hyatt, Shaq Lawson, Isaiah Simmons, John Simpson, C.J. Spiller and Christian Wilkins were named Consensus All-Americans.
Clemson hasn’t found the same success in recent years.
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The team lost in the Sugar Bowl in 2020 and the Orange Bowl in 2022. The Tigers finished 9-4 last season.
Patrick Mahomes stands by his wife in heartfelt post as critics lash out over Trump support
Patrick Mahomes didn’t let a week of backlash against his wife for expressing support for Donald Trump through an Instagram post stop him from celebrating her birthday with an Instagram post himself.
Mahomes posted a series of photos on Instagram Saturday of him and his wife, Brittany Mahomes, celebrating her 29th birthday. The slideshow included a group picture of them and their kids, 3-year-old daughter Sterling Skye and 1-year-old son Patrick “Bronze” Lavon Mahomes III.
Brittany is pregnant with their third child.
The other photos in the slideshow included one of the couple celebrating at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit studio earlier this year when Brittany was signed to be a model for the brand. In the final photo, Patrick showed his wife and his three Super Bowl rings in a photo of them kissing at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl ring ceremony in June.
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However, Patrick did not post any photos of the birthday dinner that Brittany showed off on her own Instagram story Friday night. Brittany tagged her husband in one of the slides on her story, but he was not seen in the image. Patrick did however re-post the slide Brittany tagged him in.
The birthday posts come after a week of controversy surrounding the 29-year-old mother.
Brittany first indicated her support for Trump Aug. 13 when she liked Trump’s Instagram post that outlined the “2024 GOP platform.”
The like ignited a firestorm of backlash against the wife of the superstar quarterback. Among the critics were fans of Taylor Swift, who dates Chiefs star Travis Kelce. Multiple fan pages dedicated to Swift posted the screenshots of the like on social media, condemning the quarterback’s wife.
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The model responded to the criticism on her Instagram story Aug. 23.
“I mean honestly, To be a hater as an adult, you have to have some deep rooted issues you refuse to heal from childhood,” she wrote. “There’s no reason your brain is fully developed and you hate to see others doing well.”
She then posted another message in reference to the situation on Instagram Monday.
“Contrary to the tone of the world today….you can disagree with someone, and still love them. You can have differing views, and still be kind,” she wrote Aug. 26. “Read that again!”
On Wednesday, she appeared to like two other comments, one that said “TRUMP-VANCE 2024” and another that said “Glad to see you aren’t backing down. We are all entitled to our own opinions and shouldn’t be bullied into submission.”
In a recent episode of the “WHOOP” podcast, Brittany said she’s leaned on her three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback husband to get her through the recent public scrutiny.
“Having him to help me get through it has helped a lot, because he is very good at managing those things and blocking people out and doing all that type of stuff,” she said. “Having him beside me and kind of guiding me, coaching me through it has helped a ton. I think that’s kind of gotten to where we are at now.”
She added that her husband helped her develop an attitude of “not giving a f—.”
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“I think the main thing he always told me is like, ‘Stop caring about what people think, especially the people that don’t even know you,’” she said. “And so I think social media used to get me a lot, and now it’s just like honestly I don’t give a f— about what people have to say about me anymore.
“And I think he has helped me get to that point where I’m strong in who I am, I’m confident in who I am and I’m confident in mine and his relationship — and I’m confident in our life. So, why does what other people say have to matter at all?”
Patrick has never publicly expressed support for a political figure or affiliation. He told Time in April he would not speak about who he would vote for in the upcoming election.
“I don’t want to pressure anyone to vote for a certain president,” Patrick said. “I want people to use their voice, whoever they believe in. I want them to do the research.”
However, he has donated $500 to the NFL Players Association’s political action committee, according to Open Secrets. The NFLPA donated $45,000 to Democrats and $35,000 to Republicans, the site says.
Brittany and Patrick were born in eastern Texas and grew up there. They started dating when they attended Whitehouse High School in Whitehouse, Texas, when Patrick was the school’s quarterback and Brittany played soccer. Whitehouse is a town with a population of about 8,500 and has a history of voting Republican, according to Data USA.
The dangerous relationship-manipulation tactics everyone’s talking about
Reality TV relationships often include fairy-tale dates, speedy declarations of love and fantasy futures spun for watchers and social media followers to cringe and obsess about almost endlessly.
To that point, recently on “Love Island’s USA Reunion,” Kaylor Martin called out Aaron Evans for “love bombing” her and lamented that she wasted her entire summer on their relationship.
Although most onlookers expect reality-show relationships to be fleeting, there are revealing lessons in these rush-to-love relationships that can include unhealthy behaviors.
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Love bombing consists of manipulation tactics that are often first seen early on in a relationship, said a relationship expert.
“Manipulators use tactics by overly sharing their desire to be with you, showering you with affection and prioritizing you — all before they truly get to know you,” said Leanna Stockard, a licensed marriage and family therapist with LifeStance Health in Boston.
Such actions are used to create a façade of love and affection for a new partner, which in turn gets the new partner to let their guard down and begin to trust the manipulator — all to take it away later in the relationship, Stockard said.
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“The tactic of love bombing makes the one being manipulated believe that they’ve done something wrong for that love and affection to be taken away, and to feel that they need to do anything to get it back,” she also said.
Here are five key insights to know.
1. What are some red flags of ‘love bombing’?
Endless compliments, tons of affection and wanting to be together morning, noon and night very early on in a relationship are the red flags of a potential culprit.
“The love bomber makes a new partner feel incredibly special, provides an abundance of gifts, does special things ‘just for you,’ and provides a lot of words of affirmation,” said Stockard.
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“The person could also say that ‘they’ve never felt this way before,'” she noted. “Love bombing goes above and beyond what someone expects when just starting to get to know another person.”
If you feel like your partner is doing “too much too soon,” it’s important to pay attention to that feeling because it could indicate love bombing, said Stockard.
2. What if someone feels special, not ‘love bombed’?
Love bombing can absolutely feel very flattering at the beginning, Stockard said.
In love bombing, a person is being tricked into believing the other person feels so strongly about them because of this special treatment, she also said.
“The love bomber will continue this manipulation tactic, giving brief signs of approval as a way to garner more attention.”
Yet once the love bomber believes they’ve “got you” and that you’re committed to them, the affection and prioritization shown at the beginning fades away, said Stockard.
“This leaves the love-bombed person to wonder what they may have done wrong,” she added.
“In reality, the love bomber will continue this manipulation tactic, giving brief signs of approval as a way to garner more attention and control from a love-bombed partner.”
3. Are early, intense talks about a future together a sign of love bombing?
Having deep discussions about the future early on can absolutely be part of love bombing, said the relationship expert.
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“Discussions about the future help build the false sense of security that the love bomber wants to create,” said Stockard. “The person wants you to believe in a future together.”
4. How should a person react to a love bomber?
The best way to navigate love bombing is to recognize that it’s happening.
If you’re feeling uncomfortable with the amount of attention you’re receiving after only a short amount of time of dating, or if a friend communicates to you that the person you’re dating is moving “too fast,” you may be at the beginning stages of love bombing, Stockard said.
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If you notice this happening, set boundaries and try to recognize what’s occurring.
“Additionally, if you’re noticing in the relationship that your partner has drastically shifted the amount of affection and attention they provide to you, you can begin to recognize that you have been love bombed, and you can use this knowledge to bring it up to your partner,” said Stockard.
So, just because the love bombing feels good at the beginning, “it will not last, and it is definitely something to be aware of,” she said.
5. How does love bombing differ from a loving relationship?
Love bombing is vastly different from the behaviors within a loving relationship.
A person in a loving relationship will not try to control a partner or take away attention and affection to get what they want, Stockard noted.
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“In a loving relationship, there will be healthy communication skills, and your partner will encourage you to grow with them and not just to fall in line with what they want,” said Stockard.
“In a loving relationship, both partners feel secure in the relationship, they love each other — and they feel comfortable having a life outside their partnership,” she said.