Elon Musk is once again in the headlines due to his recent statements. Tesla’s CEO has made a statement regarding short-form videos appearing on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat—a statement that has caused a stir on Meta, Google, Snapchat, and TikTok. During an interview, when he was asked which discovery he would describe that has proven to be harmful rather than beneficial to human society, Musk mentioned “short videos” in response. Musk didn’t stop there; He described the short video as “brain rot”—something that weakens the mind.
Short video: A reason for “brain rot”
These days—whether young people or the millions of people who use social media—most people spend most of their time watching short videos. Recently, research has also emerged regarding the addictive nature of short-form videos, showing them to be highly addictive. In a recent interview, when Elon Musk was asked to name any discovery that he considers harmful to human society, he chose short videos.
Speaking on Katie Miller’s podcast, Musk described the short video as “mind rotting”—that is, something that weakens the mind. According to recent research, short-form videos—like 15 to 30-second YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels—are having a negative impact on children’s brains. It has a negative impact on the cognitive development of children and they become addicted to it. An estimated 78% to 84% of children aged 2 to 12 are active on YouTube, where they often spend more than two hours per day watching content.
People’s concerns increased
Elon Musk’s statement has once again increased people’s concerns regarding short videos. Short videos release dopamine in the brain, making the brain addicted to instant gratification. Musk’s comments are likely to cause significant concern for companies like Meta, Google, Snapchat, and TikTok—platforms whose short-video features are highly popular. People often spend hours watching short videos on these social media platforms.
