What Is Brain Rot? A Guide for Parents

Does this sound familiar:

“What the skibidi, yo”

“Hit him with the fanum tax” 

“I wrote the declaration of rizzdependence”

“He’s such a sigma bruh, no cap”

If you’re raising kids today, the answer is most likely a resounding yes. But what's harder to figure out, of course, is what these seemingly random words and phrases mean. Sometimes, it’s easy — “no cap” means “I’m not lying.” Other words don’t have an easy definition, though — and collectively all of these nonsense syllables are what’s known as brain rot. Curious what brain rot means? In this post, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know.

What Is Brain Rot?

Brain rot  — also named the word of 2024 by Oxford University Press — is the term for the negative mental effects from consuming too much junk online content. Think absurd memes, silly YouTube videos, viral TikToks, and very niche video game discussions. The younger generations use “brain rot” in a sort of self-aware manner, using it to describe the absurd and ridiculous content that’s popular and that they nevertheless still enjoy

Brain rot isn’t a literal physical symptom of being hyper-online (though we’ll discuss the effects of too much screen time below). It’s more a catch-all term for how kids parrot phrases, songs, and other low-quality content they see from the internet. And this type of behavior isn’t new, surprisingly enough.

Brain Rot Through the Ages

It may be hard to believe, but every generation has their own version of brain rot. Remember the “Batman Smells” version of the Christmas song “Jingle Bells”? Yup, that’s brain rot. Even classic old children’s songs like “The Ants Go Marching” and “Baby Bumblebee” are just analog versions of the skibidi toilet song. Brain rot is very closely related to slang, and slang terms and phrases change with every generation. This happens because young people always seek a way to establish independence and set themselves apart from their parents. 

The difference between old-school brain rot and the latest version is that there’s so much more of it today. Millions of videos get posted every single day to YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and countless other platforms. And not only is there more content, there’s more ways to view it. Growing up, we just had the family TV (or a TV in your bedroom if you were super lucky) and maybe the family computer. Today, kids have multiple screens in the form of phones, tablets, kindles, and laptops. And homes have multiple smart TVs and gaming consoles. All this adds up to constant stimulation with brain rot content if it’s allowed.

How Brain Rot Spreads

Songs, slang, videos, and memes spread lightning fast across the internet on the apps that Gen Alpha uses most. YouTube is a big one, as well as TikTok and on live-streaming platforms like Twitch. Here's how it works: Something funny will go viral — a recent example is the “low taper fade” meme. It originated from a live-stream session when a singer sang “Imagine if Ninja got a low taper fade.” (Ninja is a popular YouTuber with millions of followers.) The “low taper fade” part was auto-tuned and catchy, and before long, kids started singing and repeating it to each other when they joke around.

If you’re confused, you’re not alone. The best way I can think to describe it is that it’s like when a catch phrase gets stuck in your head and you find yourself singing it out loud. “Ba-da-ba-ba-ba, I’m loving it” or “Nationwide is on your side.” When kids hang out, they parrot popular brain rot phrases and exchange them as a form of social currency. Even kids who don’t have access to screens or social media can be completely fluent in the latest slang and phrases. 

Potential Issues for Parents to Know About

Brain rot content — no matter how silly it may seem — will not turn your child’s gray matter into mush. But the more your child spouts brain rot memes, the more time they’re probably spending online. And too much screen time can have negative effects on your kid’s overall well-being, as studies have shown. Endless scrolling on apps that feature algorithmic content selection can lead to addictive watching, and the short-form videos may contribute to a reduced attention span over time. Some brain rot may also feature inappropriate content, profanity, and more, so that's also something to keep in mind.

How Bark Can Help You Fight Brain Rot

If you’re looking to help curb screen time, Bark’s got you covered. Our screen time tools help you block distracting apps and websites during the school day and at bedtime, while allowing for small amounts during free time (if you want) — and it all switches seamlessly and automatically.

We also offer slang guides and even have a podcast that can help you keep up with the latest trends and phrases that are popular with kids. 

But the best part? Bark’s AI-powered monitoring scans online activities and messages and can pick up and decode brain rot slang. This way, you can get alerts for potential dangers that you may not have even been aware of. We offer a variety of products that help parents protect their kids online, including the Bark Phone, the Bark Watch, the Bark app, and the Bark Home. Check out our products page to find out which one is the best fit for your family.