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The success of Netflix drama Adolescence, along with concerns about misogynistic influencers such as Andrew Tate, has brought the “manosphere” into public discussion.

Many parents, particularly of young boys, may fear they don’t know enough about what their children are exposed to online.

I research radical misogyny online, and the pathways by which young people encounter these spaces.

Here is what parents should know about this content.

What is the manosphere?

The manosphere is a network of communities that create, consume, and distribute content online aimed at men and boys. It includes multiple groups that differ in their aims and focus, but are all largely anti-feminist.

These groups discuss masculinity, but also topics such as health, gaming, politics and finance. They trivialise hateful rhetoric through memes, comedy, and trolling (provocation or bullying for amusement) by framing it as self-help, entertainment, and tools for financial success. This can make it difficult for parents to identify and for children to realise the extreme messages they are being exposed to.

Manosphere content is promoted by various influencers on popular social media platforms. These influencers often showcase unattainable wealth and status, selling the illusion that followers can achieve success by adopting their teachings.

The most notable manosphere influencer is Andrew Tate, who rose to fame in 2022. He and his brother Tristan are currently under investigation in Romania for charges of rape, human trafficking and money laundering, and in the UK for rape and human trafficking. However, he is not the only influencer out there.

In recent years, there have been a number of incidents of violence that have been linked to manosphere content. The extent of real-world effects is difficult to measure, and not everyone who engages with the manosphere will go on to commit violence. But it’s clear that these communities can promote violence or spread harmful ideas about women and girls.

It is important to note, however, that this content also harms men and young boys. The manosphere promotes unrealistic expectations and extreme measures, which can lead to poor self-esteem, mental health problems, and, in some cases, suicide. This content preys on vulnerabilities and insecurities of boys and young men, especially related to social isolation and sexual rejection.

Misinformation and pseudoscience

Much of the content that spreads in the manosphere is based on disinformation or pseudoscientific theories. These provide an easy framework for men to assess and improve their status while framing women and feminism as the problem.

For example, the “80/20 rule” refers to the pseudoscientific theory that 80 per cent of women are only attracted to the top 20 per cent of men. In the manosphere, this rule is used to blame women for mens’ feelings of sexual or romantic rejection.

Influencers and community members promote step-by-step instructions that people can follow to improve their social standing. Many of these guides involve extreme or harmful physical transformations in a phenomenon known as “looksmaxxing”, which can even involve facial surgery in a bid to increase their sexual “value”.

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Adolescence creator says trolls have questioned if he has ‘too much oestrogen’ since Netflix release

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