"For the chronically online, 2025 was the year of "brain rot", AI slop, and " rage bait," a time of consuming Labubu matcha Dubai chocolate to the sound of "nothing beats a Jet2 holiday" and "six-seven," on repeat, as a form of torture. Here, we take a look back at the biggest internet-culture moments that brought us all together even as the country is more divided than ever."
"If I told you the supposed TikTok ban was this year, would you believe me? In January, users panicked over the looming threat of the apps impending disappearance, flocking to alternatives like the Chinese-owned RedNote and making last-ditch confessions on the doomed app-only for the ban to never materialize. American Onijah Andrew Robinson went viral in February after claiming she flew to Pakistan to marry a 19-year-old she met online, only to be rejected."
"Usually found 6,500 feet under the sea, this black seadevil was filmed by marine researchers in Tenerife swimming toward the water's surface. Tragically, the fish died just hours after being spotted, sparking an emotional outpouring on social media for this six-inch fish. RIP. If one good thing came out of 2025, it's the unanimous cancellation of Cybertrucks. The ostentatiously hideous vehicles became everyone's favorite punching bag in 2025 as a result of anti-Elon Musk backlash."
2025 featured a surge of internet-culture phenomena that dominated online attention, from feelings described as "brain rot" and "AI slop" to repetitive audio torture and niche snack trends. A TikTok ban scare in January prompted mass migration attempts to alternatives like RedNote before the ban failed to occur. An American woman, Onijah Andrew Robinson, went viral after claiming a marriage trip to Pakistan and then staying to pursue celebrity status. A lone anglerfish filmed near Tenerife died hours after surfacing, prompting emotional reactions. Widespread mockery led to the cancellation of Tesla Cybertrucks and viral "ByeTesla" trade-in posts and hunts.
Read at Fast Company
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