Datamoshing is a technique that manipulates video compression data, specifically removing I-frames to force P-frames to render motion over the wrong background, resulting in a 'melting' visual effect. Originally a niche experimental art form in the early 2000s, it gained mainstream meme status through music videos like Kanye West's 'Welcome to Heartbreak' and later through viral TikTok transitions. In the meme world, it is often used to symbolize a shift in consciousness, a 'broken' reality, or a surprisingly smooth yet jarring transition between two unrelated topics. It captures the chaotic beauty of digital errors, turning technical failure into a comedic or psychedelic aesthetic that resonates with the internet's love for glitch culture.