Pope cautions against the ‘brain rot’ of excessive scrolling
Pope Francis has warned about the excessive use of social media among young individuals. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Pope Francis addressed journalists and communications professionals at the Vatican, expressing concern about the dangers of excessive social media use, which he referred to as a cause of "brain rot." He encouraged journalists to take on a "courageous" role in sharing "stories of hope" with the public.
In his speech, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of communication as a means of connecting with others: “Communication means stepping outside ourselves a bit to give something of myself to another.” He urged young people to enhance their critical thinking skills and avoid the detrimental effects of too much time spent online.
The term “brain rot” is popular among ‘Gen Z’ and describes a sense of disconnection resulting from overindulgence in digital content. The pope called for “courageous entrepreneurs, courageous information engineers” to preserve the purity of communication, asking journalists to “tell stories steeped in hope, be concerned about our common destiny, and strive to write together the history of our future.”
Pope Francis also reflected on the tragic loss of 120 journalists in 2024, many of whom were reporting on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. He characterized the current global landscape as a “difficult moment in the history of humanity,” marked by wars and violence, and urged reporters, “when you report on evil, leave space for the possibility of mending what has been torn.”
As part of his ongoing critique of social media, the pontiff noted that these platforms have a tendency to “alienate young people.” Last summer, he posed a poignant question during an interview with CBS News: “Today, how many hours does a person spend in front of the TV or on their little phones? How many hours?”
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
In his speech, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of communication as a means of connecting with others: “Communication means stepping outside ourselves a bit to give something of myself to another.” He urged young people to enhance their critical thinking skills and avoid the detrimental effects of too much time spent online.
The term “brain rot” is popular among ‘Gen Z’ and describes a sense of disconnection resulting from overindulgence in digital content. The pope called for “courageous entrepreneurs, courageous information engineers” to preserve the purity of communication, asking journalists to “tell stories steeped in hope, be concerned about our common destiny, and strive to write together the history of our future.”
Pope Francis also reflected on the tragic loss of 120 journalists in 2024, many of whom were reporting on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. He characterized the current global landscape as a “difficult moment in the history of humanity,” marked by wars and violence, and urged reporters, “when you report on evil, leave space for the possibility of mending what has been torn.”
As part of his ongoing critique of social media, the pontiff noted that these platforms have a tendency to “alienate young people.” Last summer, he posed a poignant question during an interview with CBS News: “Today, how many hours does a person spend in front of the TV or on their little phones? How many hours?”
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
