We Speak. I'm Feifei... err Rob,

could we have your

attention please?

... oh sorry, Feifei, I was just looking at

the news on my smartphone.

Now is not the time to be looking at the

news - we are presenting a programme.

I know, but there's so much news

to look at and it's all very very...

... depressing? Yes, there has been a lot of

depressing news recently,

but you seem addicted

to it.

Look at this! Did you know

we are all going to die... some day?

Enough doomscrolling, Rob!

What's that?

'Doomscrolling' describes continuously

scrolling through endless bad news

stories on your smartphone

app, on social media or on the internet.

It happens a lot during the coronavirus

pandemic. And you're obsessed, Rob -

you just can't stop reading

information that

depresses you.

OK, OK - I'll try and find some more positive

news while we hear some examples...

I've been doomscrolling too much and

read so much information

about coronavirus that

I can't sleep at night.

Stop doomscrolling! If you read too much

bad news you'll get depressed.

My brother does too much doomsurfing -

he loves to tell us the latest

gloom and doom

in the world, so we've stopped

listening to him!

This is The English We Speak from BBC

Learning English and we're talking

about doomscrolling -

also called doomsurfing.

That's endlessly looking at depressing

news stories on your

smartphone app, on social media or the

internet. I think it's time we had

some good news stories, Rob.

Yes - and I think I've got one.

Look, a kitten that went missing

has been found...

Sweet!

...and look at this - new research says

biscuits don't make you fat...

and look at this story...

OK, Rob. Is there a word for endlessly

looking at good news stories?

Joyscrolling? Happyscrolling?

Well, it's good to see you smiling again.

Well, we all need something to smile

about after the events of this year.

I agree. Bye.

Bye bye.