Cocomelon-grade shockwaves have rippled through the gen alpha community and vocal-fried gasps can be heard from the younger gen Zs. Digital natives – individuals who grew up in a world where technology and social media were as ubiquitous as air – have been informed that the NSW government is proposing a social media ban on users under 16 years old, restricting access to apps such as Tiktok and Instagram.
This ban, endorsed by Anthony Albanese, is backed up by the World Health Organisation’s declaration that “brainrot” is the greatest health issue facing children between ages 10 to 16 since Covid, with a 45% increase in diagnoses since 2019. In younger people, we’re told, it can manifest as an inability to sustain focus, talking back to adults and general self-concept issues.
