ST. PETERSBURG, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Each Russian spends an average of 5.5 hours daily on their smartphone, while young people spend almost 7 hours daily, said Alexey Goreslavsky, head of Russia's Institute for Internet Development, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday.
"On average, a Russian spends 5.5 hours daily on a smartphone. Everyone is online every day. Young people spend almost 7 hours online daily," Goreslavsky said. "Of course, it's not just for communication... And certainly, it's not only educational or useful content. No matter how much we support quality content, trendy phenomena and so-called 'brainrot' still emerge."
He noted that consuming such content seems harmless on the surface, but as a cultural phenomenon, it "strongly captivates minds."
"Young people engage well with long-form content, they perceive adaptations of classics and just classics very well. In short form, and in long form, and in various other forms," Goreslavsky added.
"We are in a reality that even a well-made cartoon won't influence public consciousness unless it goes viral," the head of the institute said, noting that mass communication should be positive and carry truly correct values. ■