Årets engelska nyord utses – ”goblin mode” favorit

Goblin mode is a neologism for rejecting societal expectations and living in an unkempt, hedonistic manner without regards to self-image. Although usages of the term date back to 2009 with varying definitions, the term went viral in 2022 due a Tweet by Twitter user Juniper, featuring a doctored headline of an interview with Julia Fox, where she alleges that then-boyfriend Kanye West's dislike of her going "goblin mode" was the cause of their breakup. This doctored image prompted a huge spike in searches for "goblin mode", leading Fox to deny having used the term. The term has also been linked to a viral Reddit post in which a user admits to acting "like a goblin" when alone at home.The term quickly became viral on platforms such as TikTok, often as a response to other trends on the platform such as cottagecore or self-improvement. In April 2022, Elon Musk posted an image macro implicitly attributing his proposed acquisition of Twitter to him being in "goblin mode". In June 2022, the term was defined on Dictionary.com as "a slang term for a way of behaving that intentionally and shamelessly gives in to and indulges in base habits and activities without regard for adhering to social norms or expectations". The popularity of "goblin mode" may be linked to a rejection of the carefully curated lifestyles often presented by users of social media platforms. The trend has also been linked to a manner of coping with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on society since this is described as a way of life that gives people permission to ditch societal norms and embrace their basic instincts and in social media, letting their inner goblin out has been a freeing experience.

In futurism and science fiction, the metaverse is a hypothetical iteration of the Internet as a single, universal and immersive virtual world that is facilitated by the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets. In colloquial use, a metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection.The term "metaverse" originated in the 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash, as a portmanteau of "meta" and "universe". Metaverse development is often linked to advancing virtual reality technology due to increasing demands for immersion. Recent interest in metaverse development is influenced by Web3, a concept for a decentralized iteration of the internet. Web3 and the Metaverse have been used as buzzwords to exaggerate development progress of various related technologies and projects for public relations purposes. Information privacy, user addiction, and user safety are concerns within the metaverse, stemming from challenges facing the social media and video game industries as a whole.