The Backrooms
The Backrooms is a popular internet horror fiction about endless empty, eerie rooms, told through videos, games and Roblox worlds; it is made-up and mostly harmless, though it can scare younger kids.
Should I worry?
The Backrooms is fiction, and nothing in it is a real place or a real danger. The one thing to watch is fear: younger or more anxious kids may have trouble sleeping, avoid being alone in dark rooms, or keep coming back to content that scares them. Watch for nightmares, bedtime worries or a child who seems jumpy after screen time. Talk about how it's made, with actors, editing and sound effects, and agree together on a cutoff for scary content before bed. Dramatic titles like "I almost died" are just clickbait, not real events.
How to join in
The Backrooms started as a creepy internet story about wandering through endless yellow-lit office-like rooms with no way out. Kids like the eerie, empty "liminal" look, the thrill of a safe scare, and the way creators keep reinventing it in horror games, Roblox worlds and YouTube videos. A good way in is to ask your teen to show you their favourite version, or to watch a short, age-appropriate video together and talk about what makes it spooky.
Try saying
“I keep hearing about the Backrooms. Can you show me what it is? I'm curious what makes it creepy. And if something ever stays in your head at night, you can tell me, and nobody's in trouble.”
If you’re worried
If your child's fears are lasting, they are sleeping badly or avoiding normal activities, talk with your family doctor or a school counsellor. Kids Help Phone is there for young people at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting 686868. If anyone is in danger or talking about self-harm, call 911 or 988.
Sources
From Mistlift, mistlift.app. Plain talk about what kids are into online.