TOKYO - A Japanese slang term describing children hooked on the instant stimulation of short videos and social media has been nominated for the country's 2026 New Words and Buzzwords Awards, highlighting growing concerns about declining attention spans and the pressure to consume digital content at ever-increasing speeds.
The term "dopagaki," a combination of "dopamine" and "gaki," a colloquial Japanese word for a child or brat, was among 30 expressions announced as nominees on November 5. It refers to children who have become accustomed to the constant stimulation of short videos on social media, although experts emphasize that it is an internet expression rather than a recognized medical diagnosis.
The annual awards reflect the words and expressions that have captured public attention throughout the year, with the 2026 shortlist spanning entertainment, unusual weather, rising living costs, technology and social trends.
Among the nominees were "Suki Sugite Metsu," an expression popular among young people, and "Punch-kun," a young animal that became an online sensation at a zoo in Chiba Prefecture. Other entries reflected Japan's increasingly extreme weather, including terms associated with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius and the highest level of emergency warnings.
The list also featured references to budget-conscious eating habits as households struggle with rising prices. One popular boxed-lunch series featuring a single side dish has sold a cumulative 6 million meals, reflecting demand for inexpensive food.
Another expression attracting attention among teenagers was "Setlog," a social networking application that prompts users every hour to record a two-second video showing what they are doing and share it with friends. Teenage girls interviewed about the app said it had become a popular way to exchange glimpses of their daily lives.
However, it was "dopagaki" that drew particular attention because of its implications for how smartphones and digital platforms are changing everyday behavior.
Young people interviewed about the term described habits ranging from compulsively checking their phones to watching videos at accelerated speeds. One said that even when opening a messaging application simply to check a notification, they would often end up spending extended periods watching videos.
Another said they had become unable to sit through longer videos, preferring to watch everything at increased speed or skip directly to the beginning and end to understand the conclusion without waiting.
The expression has spread through conversations among teenagers and their families. One young woman said she first learned the term from her older brother, whom she described as a typical example of a "dopagaki."
Experts say the phenomenon reflects a broader shift in society toward prioritizing speed over depth or satisfaction.
Rather than spending time searching for a comprehensive answer or fully experiencing a piece of content, people increasingly want immediate results, with the amount of time required becoming a major consideration.
The trend extends well beyond children and teenagers. According to figures cited in the report, approximately 70% of people in their teens have watched videos at increased playback speeds, while roughly half of those in their 60s have done the same.
Experts warned that difficulty maintaining concentration, skipping through longer videos and seeking immediate stimulation are behaviors increasingly found across all age groups.
The commercial structure of social media platforms is also contributing to the problem. Digital services generate revenue by encouraging users to spend more time watching content, with recommendation systems designed to sustain engagement through repeated stimulation and rewards.
Concerns about the impact on children have prompted moves in some countries to restrict minors' access to social media, while questions remain about how effectively individuals can control their consumption without changes to the systems themselves.
A survey conducted through the TBS News DIG application showed a sharp division in short-video viewing habits, with 38.2% of respondents saying they watched short videos almost every day and an equal proportion saying they rarely watched them.
The results also revealed a clear generational pattern. Younger respondents were more likely to watch short videos daily, while the proportion who rarely watched them increased with age.
Mental health specialists cautioned that watching short videos is not inherently harmful, but certain behaviors may indicate that digital media consumption is becoming excessive.
Warning signs include losing sleep, experiencing disruptions to daily routines, continuing to watch videos even when they are no longer enjoyable, and feeling irritated while being unable to stop watching.
Such habits can interfere with everyday life, particularly among children who spend long periods alone in their rooms using smartphones or tablets without supervision.
Specialists recommend creating a family environment in which digital media can be viewed together and discussed, rather than allowing children to become isolated in their online activities. Sharing videos and talking about their content can help turn digital media into a form of family communication instead of an entirely individual activity.
Practical measures to reduce smartphone dependence include removing social media applications from devices and changing phone displays to grayscale, making colorful applications such as Instagram less visually stimulating.
While the effectiveness of such measures varies, the growing popularity of "dopagaki" suggests that concerns about digital dependency are becoming part of everyday conversation in Japan.
The term also raises a broader question about whether the constant demand for faster entertainment and instant gratification is gradually changing how people of all ages concentrate, process information and spend their time.
Source: TBS
