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In the endlessly scrolling world of digital media, the phrase "I have brain rot" has gone from ironic TikTok caption to collective cry for help. Whether it's hours spent watching absurd Skibidi Toilet clips, meme marathons, or doomscrolling past bedtime, 'brain rot' has become a shorthand for how modern media consumption is taking a toll on our minds.

And now. It's officially for the record. The Oxford University Press had declared "brain rot" as its 2024 Word of the Year, defining it as:

"The supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging."

Fitting then, that this very online term has transcended irony to become a real-world concern - one increasingly backed by science.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/are-we-hearting-liking-horrors-how-likes-and-emojis-on-war-death-and-disaster-posts-reveal-our-broken-online-empathy-74239.htm">How Likes and Emojis on war, death and disaster posts reveal our broken online empathy</a> 

Not Just a Meme: A Mental Warning Sign

'Brain Rot' first emerged from Internet meme culture, gaining traction on platforms like Tumblr, Twitter (now X), and especially TikTok, where it is now used to describe the after-effects of consuming chaotic or overstimulating content.

But few people are aware of just how literal the effects might be. Decades of research now suggests that technology may be actually deteriorating our mental capacities - and it's happening faster than we realize.

Science Catches Up With the Scroll

Almost 20 years ago, scientists studying the effects of a new invention called "email" found that constant information overload caused participants' IQs to drop an average of 10 points - a sharper decline that those observed in cannabis users. That was before smartphones put the internet in our pockets.

Now, with Gen Z spending between 5.5 to 6.5 hours online daily, the problem has grown exponentially. A growing body of research warns of real cognitive consequences, as reported by The Guardian.

- A landmark 2022 study in Nature Communications found that heavy media multitasking is associated with reduced grey matter in the anterior cingulate cortex, the brain region linked to attention and emotional intelligence.

- A meta-review from Harvard Medical School, King's College London, and the University of Oxford highlights how online overexposure is shrinking grey matter, weakening memory, distorting cognitive processes, and damaging social recognition.

- In 2018, memory experts at Stanford University concluded that multi-platform users - those who switch constantly between apps - show shortened attention spans and impaired memory.

The damage is especially pronounced in young, developing brains. Some researchers have even termed the phenomenon "digital dementia" - a chronic condition caused by too much tech too soon.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/gen-z-explainer-the-concept-of-user-disengagement-46686.htm">Gen Z Explainer: The concept of 'user disengagement'</a> 

A Perfect Storm of Cognitive Degradation

According to MIT neuroscientist Earl Miller, we are currently living in a "perform storm of cognitive degradation." And that data backs him up, according to a report by The Guardian.

Dr. Gloria Mark, professor of informatics at the University of California, and author of Attention Span, has spent two decades measuring how tech affects our home, the report added.

- In 2004, she found the average time a person could focus on a screen was 2.5 minutes.

- In 2012, that dropped to 75 seconds.

- By 2018, it had plummeted to just 47 seconds.

"This is something I think we should be very concerned about as a society," she said on a podcast in 2023.

Designed to Rot?

The most sinister aspect? This isn't an accident. Experts argue that brain rot is by design. Social media platforms use features like infinite scroll, likened to the "bottomless soup bowl" experiment - where participants keep eating because the bowl refills endlessly. 

Similarly, endlessly refreshing feeds hijack the brain's dopaminergic reward system, creating addictive seeking loops that are hard to break.

A Glimmer of Hope

But there's good news: self-awareness is rising. The term "brain rot" may have been popularised by the very people most vulnerable to it - young users - but it also signals a growing consciousness of its dangers.

There are green shoots of change:

- Teenagers are turning to "dumbphones" to reduce screen time.

- Movements advocating for smartphone-free childhoods are gaining traction.

- Even popular creators are openly taking digital detoxes or speaking out against algorithmic fatigue.

A 2023 University of Glasgow study showed that participants who took short, structured digital detoxes experiences improved attention, better memory, and less anxiety in a week.

So perhaps there's deeper meaning in today's most chaotic meme content - from Skibidi Toilet to hyper-edited cat videos.

In its absurdity, it reveals the absurdity of the way we're consuming media. Human intelligence, in this moment, has two choices: rise up - or flush itself down the algorithmic drain. 

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What is 'Brain Rot'? Understanding the internet's favourite term for mental decay

Indore has once again proven why it's the gold standard in urban cleanliness, clinching the title of India’s cleanest city for the eighth consecutive year in the Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 survey. The results were announced on Thursday during a grand felicitation ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, where President Droupadi Murmu conferred the awards to winning cities.

The event, organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U), saw participation from municipal leaders, state officials and sanitation champions from across the country. The annual cleanliness assessment covered over 4,500 cities this year and evaluated them on a comprehensive framework of 10 parameters and 54 indicators, including sanitation, waste segregation, service delivery, and citizen feedback.

While Indore continued its reign at the top, Surat secured second place, followed by Navi Mumbai. In the category of cities with a population between 3–10 lakh, Noida emerged as the cleanest, ahead of Chandigarh and Mysore.

Indore’s consistent success is attributed to a blend of innovation, community involvement, and policy rigor. The city has implemented strict waste segregation at source, reduced landfill dependency through waste-to-wealth initiatives, and built a strong culture of cleanliness among its residents.

Speaking on the achievement, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said, “This new category recognises not just past performance, but also a city’s future potential. Indore deserves this position and sets an example for the rest of the country.”

The Swachh Survekshan mission, launched in 2016, has evolved into the world’s largest urban sanitation survey. Its primary goal is to spark large-scale citizen engagement and inspire civic bodies to compete in improving hygiene and livability standards.

With its eighth consecutive win, Indore not only sets a benchmark in urban sanitation but also showcases how sustained efforts, civic pride, and effective governance can transform a city into a model of cleanliness and sustainability.

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Indore bags cleanest city title yet again, Noida shines in mid-sized category

A U.S. federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a proposed class action lawsuit that challenged Amazon.com's decision to introduce advertisements on its Prime Video service unless users opted out by paying an additional $2.99 per month.

As reported by Reuters, the plaintiffs - Prime subscribers paying $139 annually - claimed they were misled into believing the service would remain ad-free.

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They argued that the addition of ads constituted a price hike, breaching Amazon's user agreements and violating Washington state's consumer protection laws.

However, U.S. District Judge Barbara Jacobs Rothstein in Seattle ruled that Amazon had acted within its rights. She concluded the ads represented a "benefit modification" that was explicitly contemplated and allowed under the company's terms of service. The change, announced in late 2023, took effect in January 2024.

Lawyers representing the subscribers did not immediately respond to requests for comment, Reuters added.

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Walmart is undertaking another round of internal restructuring that will affect hundreds of store-support and training roles, according to an internal memo reviewed by Reuters.

As first reported by Bloomberg, Walmart will eliminate the market coordinator position - a role that helped compile and analyze data for store managers. In a memo sent to employees on Wednesday, Cedric Clark, executive vice president of store operations for Walmart U.S., confirmed the decision, stating that the restructuring is aimed at enhancing operational efficiency.

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Additionally, the company plans to revise some roles within its training academies to focus more on high-volume store locations and prioritize in-person training for associates.

Walmart says it will support affected employees by offering alternative roles, including new coaching positions, even in areas where vacancies don't currently exist, the reports added.

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The reshuffle comes amid broader changes within the company. In May, Walmart announced it would cut approximately 1,500 jobs, impacting its global tech operations, e-commerce fulfilment centers in the U.S., and advertising division, Walmart Connect.

Earlier this year, it also shuttered its North Carolina office as part of a consolidation strategy to relocate staff to central hubs in Arkansas and California.

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Walmart to cut hundreds of store-support roles in major restructuring move

Data infrastructure startup Scale AI is undergoing a major shake-up, laying off 200 employees - around 14% of its full-time staff - and severing contracts with 500 global contractors, according to a Bloomberg report.

The job cuts come just a month after Meta hired Scale AI's CEO Alexandr Wang in a $14.3 billion deal, raising questions about the startup's future direction. 

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In a memo to employees obtained by Bloomberg, interim CEO Jason Droege acknowledged that the company had "overextended" its core business of data labelling, which had powered many of the world's top AI models by supplying structured training data.

According to the report, Droege wrote, "We scaled too quickly," adding that that the company now plans to prioritize enterprise and government sales, marking a notable pivot from its initial product-focused roots.

The staffing cuts also follow a broader trend among AI startups like Inflection AI, which was recently reverse-acqui-hired by Microsoft. In Scale AI's case, Meta's investment seems to have prompted several major customers to pull back, impacting the startup's core business line. 

Founded in 2016, Scale AI was once at the heart of the data-labelling boom, helping companies build AI models with annotated datasets.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/google-to-sever-ties-with-scale-ai-following-metas-significant-stake-70359.htm">Google to sever ties with Scale AI following Meta's significant stake</a>

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Scale AI lays off 14% of staff following Meta's $14.3 bn investment

Weeks after the US State Department issued fresh guidelines mandating all student visa applicants to make their social media profiles public, a case has emerged of an Indian applicant being refused a US visa over an unlisted Reddit account.

The applicant, who was applying for an F-1 visa, shared their experience on a visa related subreddit. "I had my F-1 visa interview recently. During the interview, the visa officer raised a concern about my Reddit account, which I had not listed on my DS-160 form,” the user wrote. The individual clarified that the Reddit account was already public and contained no offensive content, yet it still became a sticking point.

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According to the post, the consular officer said the account was not visible and issued a 221(g) slip - a form of temporary refusal pending further documentation or administrative processing. 

"She mentioned that the account was not visible while it was an open account, and at the end of the interview, issued me a 221(g) slip requesting that I make all my social media handles public," the user wrote.

The applicant also voiced concern that a technical glitch could affect the visibility of the profile during future review, potentially resulting in a final denial. "My concern is that my account seemed private to her while it was already public. What if it's a technical issue which recurs while she rechecks my handle?"

The 221(g) slip does not signify a visa denial. Instead, it means the application is temporarily refused until additional information or action is provided. Applicants are encouraged to respond promptly to avoid further delays.

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The incident follows a June 23 notice by the US Embassy, instructing applicants for F, M, and J non-immigrant visas - typically issued to students and exchange visitors - to set all social media accounts to public. The State Department said the policy aims to ensure thorough vetting of candidates and reinforce national security.

"Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to public," the statement read.

The move is part of broader efforts to tighten immigration rules, particularly under the ongoing immigration policies shaped during the Trump administration. These included enhanced surveillance and enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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US student visa refused after applicant fails to share Reddit account

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking action against luxury fashion house Prada for allegedly copying the design of Maharashtra's iconic Kolhapuri Chappals in its Spring/Summer 2026 Men's Collection.

According to a Bar & Bench report, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne heard arguments from both sides and said, "The petition is dismissed, reasons to follow."

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The PIL, filed by five practicing advocates, alleged that Prada's 'toe-ring sandals' showcased at its Milan fashion show on June 22 bore a striking resemblance to the traditional Kolhapuri Chappal - a handcrafted leather slipper with Geographical Indication (GI) protection.

The sandals, reportedly priced at over Rs 1 lakh per pair, sparked concern over cultural misappropriation and a threat to the livelihoods of artisan communities historically involved in the craft, the report added.

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“This action of Prada infringes the fundamental right to life (Article 21), which includes the right to livelihood and cultural identity of the Kolhapuri Chappal artisan communities,” the petition stated. The plea also cited Article 29(1) of the Constitution, asserting the artisans’ right to conserve their distinct cultural heritage.

The petitioners accused the fashion house of failing to credit the Indian origins of the footwear or acknowledge the artisan communities that have kept the tradition alive for generations.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/prada-acknowledges-kolhapuri-inspiration-after-backlash-over-copied-sandal-design-72349.htm">Prada acknowledges Kolhapuri inspiration after backlash over ‘copied’ sandal design</a>

The Kolhapuri Chappal was granted GI status on May 4, 2009, under Application No. 169 in Class 25 (Footwear), and its registration is valid until 2029.

The PIL invoked Section 22 of the Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which prohibits unauthorised commercial use of GI-tagged products, the report added.

The petitioners had sought multiple directions from the Court, including a ban on Prada's commercial use of the design, a public apology from the brand, and financial compensation for artisans affected by the alleged misuse.

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Bombay HC dismisses PIL against Prada over 'Kolhapuri-style' sandals

Amid the surging demand for AI skills, growing salaries, and a shifting narrative where AI is seen more as a career enabler, 40% of high earners (₹15 LPA and above) worry that AI may reduce creativity in their work. According to career platform Naukri’s latest “AI: Friend, Foe or Frenemy” report, the anxiety among respondents is most pronounced in creative fields, with 54% of Animation and VFX professionals, 43% in Film and Music, and 41% in Advertising and Marketing expressing concern.

However, overall sentiment remained optimistic for the technology, especially when weighed against the clear salary advantages AI skills bring. 

The report revealed that overall median salaries for AI-skilled roles are 53% higher than their non-AI-skilled counterparts. Moreover, freshers are also cashing in on AI, seeing up to 56% salary premiums, making AI one of the most rewarding career choices at present. Senior professionals in the 13-16 years of experience band can witness a 32% salary premium if they come with AI skills.

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Notably, the AI job market has also grown by 38% in just one quarter, with Tier-2 cities joining the surge. Naukri report mentioned that between April and June 2025 alone, over 35,000 AI/ML jobs were posted on Naukri, reflecting a remarkable 38% year-on-year growth in AI roles during Q1 FY26, while non-AI tech jobs grew by 8%.


The adoption of AI is expanding well beyond the traditional tech sector. While IT is the dominant hub with a 53% share of AI jobs, sectors such as Banking, BPO, Accounting, and KPO are quickly catching up. For example, AI roles in Banking grew by 48%, while BPO and ITES saw a 39% jump, despite a large section of BPO employees fearing AI-led displacement. Even sectors like Accounting and KPO reported 49% to 56% growth in AI hiring.

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“AI-linked roles are growing faster, salaries are higher, and demand is rising across industries — not just in IT. 86% of job seekers see AI as a friend, not a threat. Freshers remain anxious, but AI job growth for entry-level roles is up +34%, while senior professionals are seeing the biggest salary premiums. The gap is clear: those with AI skills are moving ahead faster than those in traditional tech roles,” said Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer, Naukri.com.

41% of ad & marketing fraternity worry AI will lead to loss of creativity: Report

The heads of multi-billion dollar companies' salaries have soared massively as their responsibilities in navigating risks and making strategic decisions have become more significant amid the global uncertainties and competition for adoption of AI technology.

According to a report by Adweek, Microsoft's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Satya Nadella emerged as the highest-paid CEO in 2024. His compensation amounted to $79.1 million for 2024, comprising salary, bonuses, equity awards, and other compensation. Nadella's compensation is nearly five times more than the median CEO who runs a company listed in the S&P 500. Citing Equilar, the media report mentioned that the median salary is $16.4 million.

Additionally, Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook, along with Netflix's co-chief executive officer, Ted Sarandos, and Greg Peters, earned compensation above $60 million, well above the average for leaders in similar roles.

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Cook's compensation was recorded $74,609,902, while Sarandos earned $61,922,397 and Peters $ 60,272,574 in 2024.

The annual compensation of David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros., stood at $51,918,563 in the same period. Disney's Bob Iger's compensation rose to $40,618,873, and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek salary rose to $667,308.

Notably, Disney's Bob Iger finished the year with the biggest gap. Iger earned 746 times the median Disney employee salary, followed by Cook with 650 times the median Apple employee salary, and Nadella with 408:1.

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Among the top-listed companies of S&P, the lowest gap in the median employee salary versus the CEO was reported at Alphabet Inc., CEO Sundar Pichai earned 32 times the median Alphabet employee salary. Pichai's annual compensation stood at $10,319,413 in 2024. A similar trend was seen in Amazon and Meta, wherein Andrew Jassy earned 43 times the median salary of an Amazon employee, and Zuckerberg earned 65 times the median salary of a Meta employee.

Global uncertainties drive up CEO compensation! From Satya Nadella to Tim Cook, here are top earners

The Delhi High Court has granted a dynamic injunction in favour of TATA Sons Private Limited and TATA Consumer Products, enabling them to directly request Domain Name Registrars (DNRs) to block fraudulent websites misusing the TATA trademark, reports Bar & Bench.

The landmark order, passed by Justice Amit Bansal, comes after the TATA companies approached the Court with evidence of a widespread scam involving fake websites offering non-existent dealership and distributorship opportunities under the TATA brand name.

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The Court observed that the fraud was both systemic and exploitative. "A review of the evidence filed by the plaintiffs demonstrates that the repeated instances of duping of customers has occurred through domains that have claimed to offer fake dealerships/distributorships and the presence of the trademark TATA along-with the word ‘dealerships'/'distributorships," the Court noted in the report.

The use of the TATA trademark alongside words like "dealership," "distributorship," and "consumer" misled the public into believing these were official platforms, leading to significant monetary losses.

The scam reportedly came to light in January 2025 when TATA began receiving multiple complaints from individuals who had paid substantial sums under the illusion of securing a TATA dealership. The fraud typically began with a Rs 25,000 "registration fee" and escalated to demands for lakhs of rupees under various labels such as "Agreement Deposit," "Product Deposit," "NOC Deposit," "Travel," and even "Renovation & Equipment Deposit."

After extracting payments, the fraudsters would vanish - cutting off all communication with the victims. TATA's internal investigation uncovered numerous websites using the same modus operandi, indicating a networked scam exploiting the company's strong brand recognition, the report added.

Taking cognizance of the “comprehensive nature of the fraud scheme,” the Court issued a sweeping restraining order against unknown (John Doe) defendants and their associates. The order prohibits them from using the TATA trademark across digital and physical formats, including websites, domain names, social media handles, email addresses, and even business documents.

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Significantly, the order also empowers TATA to bypass the need for new court proceedings each time a fraudulent website appears. The Court has allowed the company to directly notify domain registrars to suspend or lock any future domain name containing "TATA" in conjunction with specific trigger words such as “consumer,” “franchise,” “dealer,” or “distributorship.”

According to the report, Justice Bansal stressed the importance of a proactive and multi-layered enforcement mechanism. The Court noted this approach as going beyond a typical dynamic injunction, describing it informally as a “dynamic plus plus injunction” - an anticipatory legal remedy designed to counter repeat offenses under evolving guises.

Domain registrars have been directed to act in accordance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and ensure timely compliance.

The matter will next be heard on November 11, 2025, while a compliance and service status hearing before the Joint Registrar is set for September 8.

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