In internet culture, brain rot (or brainrot) describes internet content deemed to be of low quality or value, or the supposed negative psychological and cognitive effects caused by it.[1] The term also more broadly refers to the deleterious effects associated with excessive use of digital media in general, especially short-form entertainment[2] and doomscrolling,[3] which may affect mental health.[4][5][6] The term originated within the online cultures of Generation Z and Generation Alpha and has since become mainstream.[7]

Origin and usage

According to Oxford University Press, the first recorded use of the term traces back to the 1854 book Walden by Henry David Thoreau.[8][9] Thoreau was criticizing what he saw as a decline in intellectual standards, with complex ideas being less highly regarded, and compared this to the 1840s "potato rot" in Europe.[7]

In online settings, it was used as early as 2004. In 2007, the term "brain rot" was used by Twitter users to describe dating game shows, video games and "hanging out online".[10] Usage of the phrase increased online in the 2010s before becoming rapidly more popular in 2020 on Discord, when it became an Internet meme.[10] As of 2024, it was most frequently used in the context of Generation Alpha's digital habits, by critics expressing that the generation is "excessively immersed in online culture".[11] It is commonly associated with an individual's vocabulary consisting exclusively of internet references.[1] From 2023 to 2024, Oxford reported the term's usage increased by 230% in frequency per million words.[7][8] Linguist Brent Henderson predicted that the term will stay around, citing its memorability and relevance.[12]

The term is often linked with slang and trends popular among Generation Alpha and Generation Z social media users, such as "skibidi" (a reference to the YouTube Shorts series Skibidi Toilet), "rizz" (charm), "gyatt" (referring to the buttocks), "fanum tax" (stealing food), "sigma" (referring to a leader or alpha male), and "delulu" (truncation of delusional).[13][8][14] 

Impact

The term was named Oxford Word of the Year in 2024, beating other words like demure and romantasy.[7][8] Its modern usage is defined by the Oxford University Press as "the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging".[7]

In the same year, millennial Australian senator Fatima Payman made headlines by making a short speech to the Australian parliament using Generation Alpha slang. She introduced the speech as addressing "an oft-forgotten section of our society", referring to Generations Z and Alpha, and said that she would "render the remainder of my statement using language they're familiar with".[15] Using slang terms, Payman criticised the government's plans to ban under-14s from social media and closed by saying that, "Though some of you cannot yet vote, I hope that, when you do, it will be in a more goated Australia for a government with more aura. Skibidi!"[16] The speech, written by a 21-year-old staff member, was labeled by some as an example of "brainrot" outside the online world.[16]

In 2025 Jubilee of the World of Communications, the term was also used by Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, as he urged for people to reduce their use of social media and avoid "putrefazione cerebrale".[17][18] 