Sexist 'Manosphere' is 'as bad for the public as smoking and fast food'

A new report published in the medical journal The Lancet argues that the online subculture known as the Manosphere should be classified as a public health crisis. The authors contend that the movement requires regulatory measures comparable to those applied to tobacco and ultra-processed foods. They assert that the current digital landscape profits from the anger and insecurities of young men, creating a commercial ecosystem that mirrors the strategies used by the tobacco industry to shift responsibility onto individuals. The report defines the Manosphere as a diffuse commercial ecosystem and a loose collection of online communities. These groups are united by shared beliefs regarding masculinity, misogyny, and male victimization. At the core of the movement is a perceived crisis of masculinity and a widespread conviction that feminism has systematically disadvantaged men. According to the researchers, these online spaces spread misogynistic ideas, exposing many men and boys to negative portrayals of women and girls. In certain forums, the content suggests that women are weak, should obey men, belong exclusively in the kitchen, and are only capable of motherhood. The authors highlight that the Manosphere has evolved into a lucrative industry. Content creators and hosting platforms generate revenue by promoting the most extreme expressions of misogyny and aggrieved masculinity. The report notes that outrage and grievance are considered beneficial for business within this environment. Consequently, the system rewards the most extreme content. Boys and young men are specifically targeted, with their fears and vulnerabilities exploited for financial gain. The authors compare this dynamic to the tactics of the tobacco and ultra-processed food industries, which frame health harms as the result of individual choices rather than structural conditions. Specifically, the report states that men’s problems are framed as the result of feminism rather than broader societal issues. Masculine identity is commodified through products and paid content that normalize and reinforce health-harming, performance-oriented masculinities. Furthermore, efforts to regulate or moderate this content are frequently characterized as threats to men’s autonomy, which restricts the political space available for intervention. Professor Sarah Hawkes, a co-author of the report and co-founder of the social justice think tank Global 50/50, emphasized that the Manosphere offers boys and young men a sense of belonging, identity, and an explanation for why life feels difficult. She noted that these needs are real. Hawkes warned that a response focused solely on removing the Manosphere without offering a credible alternative would fail. She argued that society needs to provide boys with better options rather than simply telling them what to avoid. Fellow co-author Professor Kent Buse, affiliated with the Department of Global Population Health at Monash University Malaysia, stressed that boys and men are not the problem. Instead, he identified the business model targeting them as the central issue. Buse described the situation as a business model rather than a fringe phenomenon. He predicted that the industry would continue to use the playbook that served the tobacco sector effectively: blaming the individual and labeling regulation as an attack on freedom. Buse asserted that public health possesses a tested toolkit for addressing commercial harms and urged authorities to utilize it. He pointed to the conditions that leave young men isolated and without a secure future, as well as the companies profiting from their anger and insecurity, as the root causes. The report outlines several specific health harms associated with the Manosphere. These include increased violence against women and girls, mental health issues, and the delegitimization of help-seeking behaviors among boys and men. Previous research cited in the coverage indicates that approximately 63 percent of young men watch masculinity influencers. Additionally, one in six boys aged six to 15 reportedly holds a positive opinion of Andrew Tate, a controversial influencer discussed in relation to the Manosphere. The Children’s Society has warned that such views can escalate into physical and sexual violence against women and girls when they become extremely distorted. To address these issues, the authors propose a coordinated response involving governments, schools, health services, and community organizations. This approach should mirror the public health responses to risks like obesity or smoking. Key recommendations include boosting employment opportunities, improving skills training to enhance job access, and re-engaging boys in education. The report also calls for equitable access to mental health and other frontline health services designed to reach this demographic. Regarding communication strategies, the authors advise avoiding narratives that frame masculinity as inherently toxic or boys and men as inherently problematic. Regulation should focus on online platforms rather than users. This approach draws a parallel to bans on tobacco advertisements directed at children, rather than criminalizing smokers. Mark Brooks, the policy and communications director at the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys, welcomed the report’s stance. He noted that the Manosphere discussion has often incorrectly positioned all men and boys as the problem, ignoring the broader economic, educational, and cultural challenges driving their engagement. Brooks added that not all men and boys engage with this content equally, and his organization is currently conducting research to identify who is most at risk. Contextual to the rise of this discourse, Louis Theroux investigated the misogynist world for a documentary after hearing his own sons discuss Andrew Tate in 2022. Meanwhile, prosecutors in the United Kingdom have lodged a formal request for the extradition of Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate from the United States to face charges of rape and sex trafficking. The report concludes that the Manosphere is best understood and addressed as a public health problem, requiring immediate action to mitigate its detrimental effects on society.