Good Morning.

You might be sitting down to dinner when your child suddenly reaches over, grabs a French fry off your plate, and shouts, "Fanum Tax!" You might feel a little startled and a little annoyed. Why are they citing obscure tax law while stealing your food?

It’s not tax law. It’s a game. Here is what you need to know.

(Related terms: Kai Cenat, AMP, Glazing)

"Fanum Tax" is a term used when someone playfully (or rudely) steals or takes a possession from another person. It is almost always food, but can be anything. When the item is taken, the thief shouts "Fanum Tax!" to justify the action.

It originates from a group of popular Twitch and YouTube streamers known as AMP (Any Means Possible), specifically a streamer named Fanum. Fanum would often take food from his housemates (who are also streamers), declaring it a "tax." The phrase became an instant hit because it is a quick, funny justification for a relatable, annoying action.

The "Dad Tax." This is the same impulse you've had when you take a bite of your child's ice cream and say, "That's the Dad Tax." The only difference is that Gen Alpha learned it from a high-production Twitch stream instead of their parents. It is a way to turn petty theft into a socially approved joke within their peer group.

The Trap to avoid: Punishing the Slang, not the action. If you yell, "Stop using that stupid internet slang!", you miss the opportunity. The word is the joke; the action is stealing food. They will think you are mad at the word, not the boundary.

The Moves to consider: Validate the Joke, Maintain the Boundary. Acknowledge the term, but clarify the rules of sharing.

Until next time.

-The Alpha Beat Team

Feel free to forward this to someone who got taxed.