by Bipin Mishra - CEO and Co-Founder of The Leap Indonesia

If you're a parent, you've likely encountered Cocomelon. Its catchy tunes and vibrant visuals have become a staple in homes with young kids. But beneath its cheerful exterior lies a fascinating, and somewhat unsettling reality.

A recent article by The New Yorker sheds light on how shows like Cocomelon use advanced techniques to capture and hold children's attention. This isn’t new; it started with Sesame Street, where secret experiments involved showing kids two screens—one with their program and another with distractions like colorful objects. By analyzing where kids looked, they learned to optimize content with fast cuts, bright colors, and sudden movements.

Cocomelon has taken this to the next level with something called Distracton. Researchers monitor kids watching a split-screen setup: one screen plays Cocomelon, the other everyday activities like pouring coffee. When a child’s gaze shifts away, it’s noted—and the creators tweak their content to ensure it never happens again.

• Colors? Maximum saturation similar to slot machines.
• Pacing? A new scene every 1-2 seconds, making normal-paced activities feel dull.
• Impact? Cocomelon is now a global powerhouse, pulling in 7.8 billion views per month, surpassing Squid Game and Bridgerton in combined viewership.

This raises critical questions:

Are we fostering addiction to hyper-stimulating content?

What happens to children’s attention spans when everyday life feels “too slow”?