Media personality Janet Mbugua has raised serious concerns about the blistering speed at which Generation Alpha is dominating and defining online spaces. She argues that the pace of change driven by the youngest generation is now significantly ahead of what many adults can comprehend.
Speaking on Sunday, December 7, 2025, Janet highlighted how quickly new terms and trends spread as evidence of this digital acceleration.
“If ‘sigma’ is now a personality type, then clearly Gen Alpha is running the internet!”
She noted that the internet has become Gen Alpha’s main social playground, yet many parents and guardians are struggling to keep up with its rules and evolution.
Janet described the online world consumed by Generation Alpha as highly mixed. It contains both valuable, brilliant content and worrying, low-quality material.
She stated that the content moves so quickly that adults often cannot decode its meaning or impact before the next trend arrives. This speed makes it difficult for guardians to intervene effectively.
“But if the internet is their playground, who is guiding the play space?” she questioned.
She summarised the complexity of the digital landscape: “Some of it is brilliant, some of it is pure brain rot, and most of it moves faster than adults can decode.”
Janet offered simple, practical steps that she believes can help adults understand and support younger users navigating these fast-paced digital waters. Her advice focuses on active engagement rather than passive observation.
Her recommendations for parents and guardians include:
Parents should ask young people what their slang and new terms mean, instead of guessing. This helps bridge the communication gap and avoids confusion.
Adults must stay close to what young people are interacting with and copying online. This vigilance is key to protecting them from harmful or inappropriate trends that emerge quickly.
Actively guide young users towards healthier content options.
Implement filters or controls when certain platforms become too difficult to manage safely.
Janet acknowledged that staying connected and present with children in this rapidly changing world is difficult for busy adults. However, she stressed that this effort is vital.
“Staying connected and present is easier said than done when we’re juggling a million things, but it counts as they navigate a world that is changing at triple speed,” she concluded.
