The term brain rot has been named the Oxford English Dictionary's word of the year for 2024. The choice was based on an online poll of over 37,000 people. The term, which is popular among Internet users, reflects the current challenges of the digital age.
“Brain rot” became extremely popular in 2024. It was used 230% more often compared to the previous year. Although it was first used in 1854 in Henry David Thoreau’s book “Walden”. And in the digital age, especially among Generation Z and Alpha, “brain rot” has taken on new meaning.
The term has become a symbol of concern about the impact of low-quality content online on mental health, especially among young people. From memes to serious discussions about the consequences of excessive consumption of online content, “brain rot” has become part of a broader debate about how digital technology is affecting our lives.
Casper Gratwohl, president of Oxford Languages, noted that the choice of this term reflects society's general concern about technology and its impact on everyday life.
Interestingly, the term “brain rot” has been adopted by the very generations that create this very content. It is a conscious recognition of the harm they themselves can cause through social media
Entertainment content has become more popular than news in the Ukrainian information space.
According to the study, 79% of respondents prefer feature films and TV series, which rank first among content categories. In second place are news and socio-political programs (68%), followed by music shows (63%).
These changes reflect the mood of Ukrainians in the third year of a full-scale war, when people are less hopeful about a quick end to the fighting, and accumulated news fatigue is leading to a decrease in interest in real-time events.
News is mainly consumed through messengers.
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