Elon Musk Flags Short Form Videos On Social Media, Calls Them 'Brain Rot'

New Delhi: Whether it is Instagram or YouTube, short-form videos are immensely popular on both social media platforms. Nowadays, people spend hours on end watching short videos. However, Elon Musk—the owner of X and SpaceX—has made a remark regarding short-form videos that has heightened public concern. In a recent interview, when asked to identify an invention that has made human life worse rather than better, Musk cited short-form videos as his answer. Musk explicitly labeled them as "brain rot"—something that causes the mind to decay.

Why Did Elon Musk Term Short Videos As Detrimental?

During an appearance on the 'Katie Miller' podcast, Elon Musk made a statement that has come as a shock to many. During the podcast, when Katie Miller asked Musk to name the invention that has degraded—rather than improved—us as human beings, he responded by naming short-form videos. These are the very same short-form videos that are watched today by everyone—children, adults, and the elderly alike. Musk directly characterized short-form videos as "brain rot"—essentially, something that causes the brain to decay.

Elon Musk was asked: “What’s one invention that’s made us worse, not better?”

His answer: short-form video.

He called it straight-up “brain rot.”

And he’s not wrong. A local news report highlighted how kids are getting flooded with dopamine hits every 15–30 seconds from… pic.twitter.com/13EK2Tux2X

— Camus (@newstart_2024) April 23, 2026

Why Did Elon Musk Say This?

Elon Musk's response has sparked widespread concern. However, Musk is not wrong. According to a recent report, content from platforms like YouTube Shorts and TikTok delivers a "dopamine hit" to children's brains every 15 to 30 seconds. Essentially, dopamine is a "feel-good" chemical produced within the brain. In scientific terms, it is classified as a neurotransmitter—a chemical messenger responsible for transmitting signals between brain cells. This process causes the brain to develop an addiction to instant gratification.

Are These Statistics Alarming?

Doctors, too, are encountering numerous cases where it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between genuine ADHD and "environmental ADHD"—a condition induced by excessive screen exposure. It is worth noting that ADHD is a condition in which an individual finds it extremely difficult to concentrate, remain seated, and regulate their behavior. Statistics have emerged that are leaving people astonished: approximately 78–84 percent of children aged 2 to 12 are spending more than two hours daily on YouTube. Consequently, parents must now pay close attention to the amount of time their children spend each day watching YouTube videos or short-form content, as this could have a serious impact on their developing minds.