If you grew up online, chances are you remember your fair share of internet nonsense. Back in the 90s, we danced along with hamsters. In the 00s we were glued to bouncing badgers. In the early 2010s, we were so obsessed with the Harlem Shake that a new version of the trend was uploaded every 21 seconds to YouTube. At its core, internet culture hasn’t changed much: it’s always been built around grabbing attention and chasing views – but the ways we access content have changed and adapted.
As anyone with a phone and a little spare time can share their creations with the whole world, not everything we watch is entertaining, useful, or even meaningful. Some videos are designed to do just one thing: lure us into the steady stream of the scroll and the autoplay. This type of content – often loud, strange, repetitive, or completely random – has become so common it’s earned its own name: brain rot.
But what exactly is brain rot, and should parents be worried about it?
What is brain rot?
The term “brain rot” emerged from internet culture as a catch-all term for a certain type of content: think short, repetitive, low-effort, or bizarre videos and images that are designed to quickly grab attention, but offer little in terms of what we get out of them. These videos are often stitched together in quick succession, and can feel pretty random, overstimulating, or overwhelming.
“Brain rot” also has another meaning, about the effect that consuming this kind of content can have on our minds. If you’ve ever heard your tween talk about a video “giving them brain rot”, they’re likely not being too serious, but there’s some truth to the joke: watching too much of this content might leave you feeling irritable, or a little spaced out. For kids and teens, who are more likely to spend more time watching these videos, it can make it harder for them to stay focused, stay present, or enjoy activities that are slower-paced, that require more of their attention.
Brain rot – the content and the concept – is trickling its way into offline conversation and culture: it was Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2024, and across 2025, confused teachers were perplexed as students asked them for their favorite Italian brainrot animal.
What is Italian brainrot?
“Tung tung tung sahur,” “Tralalero tralala”, “Ballerina capucina”. If your child’s been dropping some of these word combinations into conversation recently, they’re not speaking a new language (well, sort of) – they’re referencing Italian brainrot characters and animals. This viral trend mashes up several bizarre elements: fake-sounding Italian voices, and AI-generated videos of inanimate objects crossed with animals, like a shark in Nike sneakers, or a baseball bat with a face, arms, and legs.
Much like the skibidi toilet trend, that had children the world over yelling out the theme song to one another across classrooms for months, Italian brainrot is catchy, weird, and ridiculous. Each brainrot animal comes with its own lore and “catchphrase”, meaning kids can repeat the funny phrases and connect through the character’s backstory. These trends on the whole are usually harmless, but they’re a wider symptom of a certain type of content and behavior on digital platforms that can be hard for kids to switch off from, which is never healthy in excess.
Where do kids find brain rot?
Brain rot content is most at home on short-form video platforms, like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts: apps where the endless scroll is a huge design feature, where fast-paced clips compete for attention. But brain rot is now so common, it’s not just confined to the online world.
This kind of content spreads quickly, and for kids, this spills into their daily life, through conversations, inside jokes, and games in the school playground. Even if your child doesn’t go online much, or use social media at all, they can easily be exposed to online trends and viral “brain rot” content through friends, siblings, or other online platforms like Roblox and regular YouTube videos. Just as many of us took the Crazy Frog’s title as “The Annoying Thing” to be a challenge, serenading our teachers, parents, and unsuspecting strangers with it wherever we went, random sound effects, catchphrases and songs quickly make their way from online brain rot videos into the real world.
Why do kids like brain rot content?
If you don’t “get” brain rot content, it’s OK – you’re just showing your age. For adults, this type of content can seem pointless, or just annoying. For kids and teens though, the experience is different. For younger viewers, these videos are oddly satisfying: short, easy to digest, and directly serve up an instant burst of entertainment.
Brain rot videos are often unpredictable, making it difficult to look away, featuring loud sounds, surreal humour, and weird concepts that draw you in. Add AI into the mix, and it’s easy to create trends in seconds, with videos and images that can come to life from a simple, silly idea. This type of content looks funny and new, and the fact that it doesn’t resonate with adults helps make it even more appealing, letting kids feel they’re in on the joke and a shared online culture that fosters a sense of belonging.
There’s also a deeper appeal outside the social elements. Brain rot content taps into how our brain’s reward system works, supplying kids with quick, easily digestible bursts of stimulation. Simply swiping up always serves them with something new, drawing them into the scroll and keeping the dopamine flowing. Over time, this constant stream of entertainment can “train” the brain, as it relies on these short gratification loops. It can also make slower-paced, or more focused activities seem boring by comparison.
So while on the surface, brain rot might just seem silly, or meaningless, it’s the perfect companion to help social media and online platforms keep us hooked: instant gratification, sensory overload, and a way to connect with those around us, even if we’re doing it through a screen.
Is brain rot actually harmful, though?
While brain rot might have started out as a joke, there’s a more serious side to it. What’s harmful and dangerous about this type of content isn’t specific to brain rot, but social media platforms and digital content in general, and how they affect the way kids and teens think, feel, and get things done.
Here’s what parents need to keep in mind about brain rot:
1. It can have an impact on attention span
Kids who spend a lot of time watching short, stimulating videos may find it harder to concentrate. Some researchers have linked watching short-form video content to struggles with memory-based academic work, with videos affecting students’ attention spans and memory problems.
2. It can contribute to sensory overload
When kids are constantly fed with novel, fresh entertainment that keeps them engaged, there comes a point where they can feel overwhelmed. When they pull themselves out of the loop, this can make them feel foggy or restless – taking in a lot of information and content, but without being able to put their finger on what they took from it.
3. Scrolling can affect sleep
Engaging with stimulating content can affect sleep, especially if your child is consuming it right before bed. If there’s one thing kids (and parents) need, it’s sleep – and lack of it can contribute to low mood, raise stress levels, and affect overall wellbeing.
What can parents do to help?
As with most things online, it’s all about balance, and helping kids form healthy digital habits. Preventing exposure to brain rot content is difficult to do – as even if children don’t scroll social media themselves, online trends find their way offline in a flash.
Here are several ways parents can make children’s and teens’ video-viewing habits healthier:
1. Monitor the content your child sees online
Keep an eye out for the kind of content your child engages with across the internet. Even if they don’t have access to social media, there are many ways for them to access short-form video, even without an account. Platforms like YouTube offer native parental controls, but for more complete protection across websites and social media, you may find a digital wellbeing tool such as Qustodio helpful, to block apps, check in on YouTube videos, and monitor the content your child is searching for online.
2. Keep communication open and regular
If you want to know more about what your child is engaging with on the internet – just ask! Some kids may love the opportunity to “educate” their parents on trending topics, while others may be more secretive. It’s important to normalize discussing what they see online, and to let them know they can come to you with questions, information, or anything they want to about their experiences in the digital world.
3. Set limits on screen time
Putting a healthy limit in place for digital activity helps kids to switch off and focus on other activities, away from screens. It also helps them to avoid the endless scroll, and create routines and balance that allow them to enjoy the best of both worlds.
4. Avoid closed doors
Wherever possible, keep technology use out in the open, in common areas – especially with younger children. Solitary phone, computer, or tablet use can be more difficult for parents to keep tabs on, and can lead children to access inappropriate content, which can be disturbing or worrying for them to encounter, especially alone.
5. Set a bedtime routine
Watching iPads or browsing on phones before going to bed can be disruptive to kids’ sleep, and short-form videos can suck kids and teens into an endless scroll. Keeping phones and technology out of the bedroom can help improve sleep quality, and setting bedtime routines lets kids know what to expect, forming healthy habits.
By staying curious about your child’s interests and getting to know their digital experiences better, you’ll be more equipped to understand the trends they’re into – so you can guide them to more positive content and be a part of what they enjoy. The fast-paced world of social media and online trends can be tough to navigate, but by being proactive, responsive, and open-minded, you can create a safe, supportive space for your child to explore everything the digital world has to offer, from the fun and educational, to the downright weird.
