By Mylie Norton
What is brainrot? You may have heard a fourth grader reference the term when talking to their friends or even seen it on Tik Tok. Brainrot is defined as a “slang term that refers to the negative effects of excessive internet and social media use, including cognitive decline and mental exhaustion”.
Social media has become a large part of children and teens daily lives. Platforms like Tik Tok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube have changed the way young people communicate with one another. It has also altered the way people learn and see the world around them. Whilst kids joke and use the word “brainrot” to describe the amount of time they spend on social media, it has become a factor in how they are viewing themselves, forming relationships and understanding the world.
Social media platforms develop algorithms to keep users engaged, prompting an increase in the amount of time users spend on different apps. It is a never ending cycle of videos and images that are constantly being refreshed. As a result of this, Generation Z has an attention span of less than eight seconds according to Blavity Inc. In the last two decades the number has decreased from 12.5 seconds to 8 seconds, which has encouraged social media platforms to keep their content short in order to obtain the attention of young kids.
Aside from the instant gratification children receive from using social media, they are also viewing content that may not be appropriate.
Junior health and physical education major, Lindsey Lucia discusses how social media has a negative effect on children’s development.
“I think social media shows content that kids should not be exposed to or seeing and then that brainwashes them,” Lucia said. “It affects body image, anxiety, stress and mental health when these younger generations are seeing certain social media posts”.
Social media can lead to teens and young children feeling isolated, leading to depression and anxiety. There are factors of cyberbullying that can occur on social media which take a toll on a young person’s mental state. These factors can be hidden from adults and create issues for individuals to deal with on their own.
Body image is another trigger for children on social media. The idea that you must look like celebrities or models online makes a child think less of themselves, causing low self esteem and negative self talk.
After discussing these negative impacts of social media with health science student Taylor Foresi, she addressed some of the positive outlooks certain platforms provide.
“I think social media encourages creativity and allows people access to many resources. It can help provide jobs and inspiration to others” Foresi said. “It also allows kids to learn about new things and make connections with friends,” she explained
While there are plenty of concerns about children being on social media, there can be benefits. Creativity and inspiration play a large role when making social media content and social media can be used as an outlet for kids to express themselves.
It would be ideal to limit the amount of social media and screen time children have each day, opting for alternative means of self-expression. However, these platforms are taking over our life and will continue to grow throughout the future. Perhaps all we can do is learn how to positively influence and use social media to benefit younger generations.
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