Recent studies have shown that boys and young men are being taught misogynistic content.
Many parents worry about their children’s use of social media, but these concerns usually involve privacy, exposure to explicit material, or contact with strangers.
As researchers studying sexism and misogyny in Australian schools and the influence of social media, we also believe it is important that parents understand how algorithms work.
These can spread misogynistic content against boys and young men and make extreme views seem normal.
What does research say about social media?
Researchers are increasingly studying how social media can reinforce social and political divisions, as well as how these platforms spread prejudice, hate speech and misinformation.
At the same time, researchers are finding that there is a growing gap between young men and women in their attitudes towards gender equality.
Our own research has found a worrying increase in sexism, sexual harassment and misogyny in Australian schools. This includes examples of boys physically intimidating female teachers in schools, manipulating them, calling them “hysterical”, labelling gender inequality issues as “myths” and saying things like “Miss, your boobs look really big today”.
Similar examples emerged in other Australian studies this year.
Our research, based on interviews with Australian teachers, suggests that these views are influenced by the rise of figures from the “manosphere” (a collection of extreme, misogynistic male communities) on social media.
How do algorithms work?
How do boys and young men come into contact with this content? Algorithms play a big role in what we all see online.
Algorithms are created by human programmers, but once they’re up and running, they’re automated pathways that push content to social media users. They’re optimized to get us to click, like, share, watch, and come back again and again. This is the main commercial goal of the so-called “attention economy.” The longer algorithms hold our attention, the more profit they generate for social media companies like Meta.
So, when a social media user shows increasing interest in certain content or activities, they receive more of it.
Boys are “fed” misogyny on the Internet
Recent studies have shown that boys and young men are being taught misogynistic content.
A 2022 Australian study set up ten experimental YouTube accounts. These included profiles of four boys under 18, four young men over 18, and two blank control accounts.
It found that boys and young men were lured into the manosphere by pop-up features with “recommended videos.” This phenomenon was even worse on YouTube Shorts (with shorter videos). The study found that the algorithm:
Optimize more aggressively in response to user behavior and show more extreme videos in a relatively short time frame.
An Irish study from 2024 came to similar conclusions.
The researchers created ten fake profiles for TikTok and YouTube Shorts on ten blank smartphones. On the two different platforms, the researchers created accounts for a 16- and an 18-year-old boy who searched for content typically associated with male gender norms for their age (such as the gym, sports, and video games), a 16- and an 18-year-old boy who searched for content from the manosphere, and a blank control account.
Misogynistic content from the manosphere was sent to users regardless of whether those accounts were actively seeking it. This was particularly the case for profiles created by teenagers seeking content typically associated with male gender norms. All accounts were presented with masculinist, extremist, and anti-feminist content, and the frequency increased once their account showed interest or engagement.
How does misogynistic content radicalize boys?
We believe that what is happening is very serious. In our research, we use the term ‘misogynistic radicalisation’ to describe what is happening to some boys and young men.
This term was chosen to describe a strong and sudden change in the attitudes and behaviour of boys towards women and girls in Australian schools, which teachers said occurred after the return from lockdown and distance learning.
Although the term “radicalization” usually refers to recruitment for a religious or political terrorist ideology, research has identified misogyny as a feature of right-wing terrorism.
At the same time, the “incel” community (those who are involuntary celibates) is also seen as a potential terrorist threat. Incels, who are mostly men and boys, blame and condemn women because they cannot find a sexual partner themselves.
We also know that misogyny perpetuates gender inequality and the prejudices that underlie violence against women.
While we do not claim that all boys and adolescents influenced by extremist misogynistic ideology become violent or join other extremist groups, it is important to consider misogyny as both a form of extremism and an ideology.
Research shows that young people who see misogynistic content are likely to hold unhealthy views about relationships. A 2024 British study of teenagers also found that the content of “manfluencer” Andrew Tate appeals emotionally to boys and young men, promoting feelings of fear and anger, as well as belief in myths about gender equality.
What can parents of boys do?
A complete ban on young people is not necessarily the right move (even if such a ban could work). Research shows that social media is an important place for young men to explore their identities and interests and to connect with others.
That’s why we need to educate both parents and young people about how algorithms shape the feeds of young people’s social media accounts and how this content can target their emotions and beliefs.
Above all, parents can have open and respectful conversations with their children about what they look at on the Internet.
These conversations should be free of judgement or blame and give children the opportunity to describe what they see and why it might interest them. Open-ended questions that encourage your children to voice their opinions are a good place to start. For example, “Can you tell me about X? What is interesting about the content?”
To ensure that young people are not afraid to talk about difficult experiences, it is important to have non-judgmental conversations. If you want to criticize something, do it together. Let the children explain whether certain content could be harmful and for whom.
You can also talk about the impact of “echo chambers” and how they are created by algorithms. Some examples might be: “Have you noticed that you see a lot of content from a particular author? Or on a particular topic?” or “How do you feel about the content you see?”
In addition, there are numerous helpful organizations that provide parents with specific advice on algorithms and online safety in general.
See and hear
Also pay attention to changes in a child’s behavior and attitudes toward women and girls.
Do they use certain words they haven’t used before? How do they react when certain figures from the news or pop culture come up in conversation? How do they treat women and girls in their family and community? Do they express opinions that are not consistent with your family’s values?
If teachers approach you about issues with your child’s behavior toward women and girls at school, try to be open to the conversation (rather than dismissing it as impossible). It’s likely that what parents see and hear at school and online is different. In fact, some teachers in our study reported that boys expressed different versions of themselves and different views depending on the audience.
If you notice your child expressing views that are concerning, we recommend that you have an open, calm conversation with them. You should also contact your child’s teachers or the school welfare team. You can also seek support and advice from the eSafety Commissioner.
(Authors:Steven Roberts, Professor of Education and Social Justice, Monash University and Stephanie Wescott, Lecturer in Humanities and Social Sciences, Monash University)
(Disclosure Statement: Steven Roberts receives financial support from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Government. He is a board member of Respect Victoria, but this article is written entirely independently of, and does not represent, that role. Stephanie Wescott does not work for, is not involved with, owns shares in, or receive financial support from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond her academic employment.)
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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