The more TikTok videos and Instagram reels you’re watching, the less you’re learning. Researchers have directly linked what they refer to as “brain rot” to short-form video content on social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, and more, a recent study from the American Psychological Association revealed. Researchers analyzed results from 98,299 participants across 71 studies and found that those who watch more social media videos have poorer cognitive function and shorter attention spans. For all age groups, consuming too much online content also directly correlates to social isolation, lower life satisfaction, self-esteem, and body image, researchers noted. “According to this framework, repeated exposure to highly stimulating, fast-paced content may contribute to habituation, in which users become desensitized to slower, more effortful cognitive tasks such as reading, problem solving, or deep learning,” researchers wrote. As of 2025, TikTok counts well over a billion monthly users and Instagram has at least 2 billion.
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