The great information equalizer: the Internet enables people to easily exchange information, communicate in real time, and organize their efforts for change.(INTERNET)(Essay)

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"Tell him to take his earphones out of his ears," the burly Baltimore police officer commanded several lanky teenage skateboarders who were apparently in violation of a local ordinance. One hadn't noticed the officer's presence yet. The unaware skater, upon seeing the policeman, removed his earphones, just as the officer asked, "Can you hear me now?"

The 14-year-old boy responded in a typical teenage smart-alecky way, referring to the officer as "dude"--which skaters, like surfers, happen to call everybody--saying that he had not heard the officer.

Officer Rivieri gave the boy a bellicose-toned lecture about respecting authority, shouting at the boy frequently. When Rivieri attempted to confiscate the boy's skateboard, the boy did not immediately respond. Rivieri then grabbed him around the neck and roughly pushed him down to the pavement, taking his skateboard.

After intimidating the teenagers with a show of brute force, Rivieri continued lecturing the boy about his lack of parental discipline, lack of respect, and so forth. He then agreed to let the boy call his mother.

As Rivieri headed back to his vehicle, he looked over at some of the other boys and realized that the entire time he might have been filmed. The officer demanded: "You got that camera on? If I find myself on ..." The camera stopped at that point, cutting off Rivieri's threat in mid-sentence.

We can only guess that Rivieri didn't want to find himself on YouTube. which is exactly where the now-famous video was posted. It has been viewed some 2.3 million times.