October 16, 2023
There’s a new way to describe something funny on social media: “IJBOL,” or “I just burst out laughing.”
The acronym has gained popularity in recent months, especially among Gen Z users. It is used to express laughter, often in response to a funny meme, video, or tweet.
“IJBOL accurately captures the feeling of going from quietly scrolling to letting out a burst of laughter,” one Gen Z user told the New York Times.
Another user said they prefer IJBOL over other laughter acronyms, such as LOL and LMAO, because it feels more authentic. “IJBOL is more specific and descriptive,” they said. “It really conveys the idea that I’m laughing so hard that I can’t help it.”
“It’s all rooted in the amount of time that they are living online,” said MaryLeigh Bliss, the chief content officer for youth research organization YPulse. However, Bliss cautioned that internet trends can quickly become mainstream, and Gen Z users are known for abandoning trends once they become too popular.
“When internet trends become too mainstream, Gen Z stops finding them cool,” she said. This means that IJBOL may eventually be used more ironically or sarcastically. It could also see a similar fate to the crying laughing emoji, which is now widely considered to be cringe.
The sources for this piece include an article in Axios.
