IPB University Expert Warns of Serious Impact of “Brainrot Anomaly” on Child and Adolescent Development

The viral phenomenon of “Brainrot Anomaly,” which has been circulating widely on social media platforms such as TikTok, has begun to attract the attention of academics, including Dr Melly Latifah, a lecturer at IPB University’s Division of Child Development, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology.

According to Dr Melly, behind the absurdity of the content—such as humans shaped like wooden clubs (tung-tung tung sahur), sharks wearing shoes, or cappuccinos with ballerina heads—lies the potential for serious impacts on the development of children and adolescents.

She explained that for young children—who are still in the preoperational stage according to Piaget’s theory—absurd content risks confusing their understanding of reality.

“Children are unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Hyper-absurd visuals can trigger excessive dopamine release, affecting focus and emotions,” she explained. Additionally, incoherent narratives can hinder children’s understanding of language structure.

Meanwhile, among teenagers, continuous exposure to absurd content can form illogical thinking patterns. “Excessive exposure reinforces the mindset that ‘the more absurd, the more interesting.’ This reduces the ability to think systematically,” she said.

She added that such content can also erode empathy because it often removes the emotional context from an event.

However, according to Dr Melly, absurd content is not entirely harmful if managed with the right approach. She noted that under certain conditions, such content can stimulate creativity and flexibility in thinking. 

“For toddlers, parents should provide explanations. Simply say, ‘This is just AI (artificial intelligence) imagination. In the real world, sharks don’t wear shoes,’” she said.

She explained that for teenagers, this content can actually serve as a tool to train pattern recognition skills. “Absurd content creates a kind of ‘cognitive playground’ that trains anomaly detection, a skill that is very important in today’s information-overloaded era,” she revealed.

To protect children from negative impacts, Dr Melly suggested six steps parents can take. First, build digital literacy. Parents need to explain that AI content is like a strange dream, not reality.

“Second, limit access. Enable restricted mode, limiting screen time to, say, five minutes a day, and avoid device use an hour before bedtime,” she said.

Third, she continued, transform passive consumption into active engagement. Encourage children to analyze absurd content. For example, “Name three things that don’t make sense in this video!” 

Fourth, practice cognitive anchoring. Connect absurd content with facts, such as, “Sharks don’t have legs, do they?”

Fifth, educate about the dangers of absurdity. Explain that excessive consumption can alter neural pathways, much like eating candy continuously. 

Sixth, practice digital detox. Dr. Melly noted that if consumption is uncontrollable, turn off the internet for 3–7 days and replace it with physical or social activities. 

The Impact of Brain Rot on Children
The term “brain rot” reflects the psychological condition resulting from today’s digital lifestyle filled with endless scrolling, binge-watching, and multitasking. 

Dr Melly explains, “This behavior causes cognitive overload, mental fatigue, and reduced focus. Excessive exposure to short-form videos alters the brain’s preference for rapid stimulation.”

Therefore, she added, it is important for parents to recognize the early signs of “brain rot.” This condition can manifest in cognitive, language, emotional, or social forms. 

“Children may have difficulty concentrating, frequently forget simple instructions, speak in broken sentences, or have a reduced vocabulary. Emotionally, they may laugh hysterically online but remain flat when spoken to. Some may become angry when their gadgets are taken away,” she explained. 

She also noted that symptoms vary by age. “Toddlers may mimic absurd movements they see. Elementary school-aged children may experience a drastic drop in grades. Meanwhile, teenagers may begin communicating using meme language,” she concluded. (Fj) (IAAS/LAN)