TikTok users find escape in 'sludge content'.

Sludge content, a new form of experimental editing style, has become popular on TikTok and other parts of the internet. These videos offer split-screen looks at two or more unrelated sources, providing overstimulating and abstract chaos to viewers. While some users find it escapist and playful, others express concerns about declining attention spans and "brain rot." The origins of sludge content are unclear, but it is linked to an online tradition of repackaging recognizable bits of the internet.