By Rob McLaren, Insight Manager
They may have become something of a festive tradition, as clichéd as yet another ‘Wrapped’ feature, but annual Word of the Year lists can tell us a lot about public mood. In doing so, the prevailing theme of a year can be summed up in just one (or, as seems to be the case on a few too many occasions) two words. Take Oxford’s annual winner: 2007’s was ‘carbon footprint’; it was ‘credit crunch’ a year later; with ‘selfie’ and ‘vape’ featuring before ‘vax’ took the crown for 2021.
Recently, however, Oxford’s Word of the Year has taken a distinctly darker turn. The past two winners, ‘brain rot’ and ‘rage bait’ each point to the proliferation of harmful, addictive or hate-fuelled content on social media. This content has dominated commentary on social media in recent times, driven by the rise of large language models and the continuing controversies surrounding X, following its takeover by Elon Musk.
Ofcom’s latest Media Nations report makes for essential reading in trying to understand this complex and evolving online world. In 2025, Brits’ time online rose by ten minutes compared with the year before, averaging four and a half hours daily. Children aged 13-14 spend nearly as much time online, around four hours per day, and this is before factoring in time spent console gaming online. Just two platforms, Snapchat and YouTube, account for over half (52%) of this time.
And while most children feel that the time they spend online benefits them, particularly in supporting their studies, the picture is more nuanced. Seven in ten reported having seen potentially harmful content online in the past four weeks, while interviewers heard many children express concerns over the impact that addictive, ‘brain rot’-style content was having on their wellbeing.
As online content evolves, brands are navigating an increasingly challenging path to ensure content is only reaching the audiences for which it is intended. Recent regulations such as LHF restrictions show the advertising industry stands willing to take the lead on reducing harm. Additionally, the UK Government’s Online Safety Act, enacted last year, appears to be limiting young Brits’ exposure to unsafe content. However, the report also notes a year-on-year rise in online users using VPNs to access age-restricted content, though such numbers have fallen in recent months.
With Australia having banned social media for under-16s in December, all eyes are on policymakers for signs of a similar ban in the UK, a policy the opposition Conservatives now outwardly support. What the Ofcom report shows is that brands must continue to keep their finger on the pulse in this ever-changing, ‘brain rot’-fuelled online world.
