New Yorkers May Be Spending Too Much Time Online

If it feels like everyone is glued to their phones, this new study explains why. A new report from JuicePlus+ found that New York ranks high for something called “brain rot,” which refers to spending too much time online and feeling mentally drained from nonstop digital content.

New York Ranked High For “Brain Rot”

Researchers created a “Brainrot Index” to measure how much people in each state are dealing with digital overload. New York scored 65.98 out of 100, which puts the state in the “high” category. That’s about 11% higher than the national average.

Why New York Ranked So High

They looked at several habits that may lead to digital overload. It included social media use, gaming, internet access, screen time, reading levels, and outdoor activity. In New York, higher scores were linked to large youth populations, heavy social media use, and online activity. Searches for terms like “doomscrolling,” “phone addiction,” and “TikTok addiction” were higher in New York.

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Teens Are Spending Hours Online

The study says teens spend up to five hours a day on social media. That adds up fast between scrolling videos, gaming, texting friends, and watching content online. Researchers say too much screen time can leave people feeling distracted, tired, and overwhelmed.

A Lot Of New Yorkers Can Relate

Many people have caught themselves scrolling endlessly at some point. It starts with checking one notification and suddenly an hour disappears. For many families in New York, this feels relatable, especially for parents trying to balance screen time for their kids.