Doctors urge government to treat online male influencers like a smoking epidemic

A new report published in The Lancet argues that the digital movement known as the manosphere should be treated by governments as a public health crisis. The authors compare the spread of harmful content from male influencers to the historical impact of tobacco, suggesting that the industry requires similar coordinated action from schools, health services, and policymakers.

The manosphere consists of online forums and social media accounts that discuss men's issues. While content is often tagged as fitness, dating, or finance advice, researchers say it frequently promotes negative views on women and girls. This includes misogyny, antisemitism, and homophobia. The report states that these narratives have contributed to increased violence against women and mental health struggles among young men.

Prof. Sarah Hawkes and Prof. Kent Buse, co-CEOs of the think tank Global 50/50, authored the study. They argue that the manosphere redirects blame for men's struggles away from structural economic forces and toward women and feminism. The researchers claim this dynamic creates a sense of dominance and entitlement that raises the risk of physical and online violence against women.

The health effects are not limited to female victims. The report links the idealized male bodies promoted by influencers to mental health problems in boys. It also notes that these creators often discourage men from seeking professional help for their issues. The authors state that, like the tobacco and ultra-processed food industries, these platforms use strategies that place the burden of responsibility on individual users rather than the systems that serve them.

Data from The Children’s Society indicates that two-thirds of young men watch these influencers. A 2024 study by HOPE not hate found that 80 percent of boys aged 16 and 17 had watched Andrew Tate. Tate, who is facing extradition to the UK on rape and sex trafficking charges he denies, has publicly described himself as a misogynist. He and his brother Tristan are viewed as major figures in this online ecosystem.

Prof. Buse told Metro that the manosphere is a commercial system built on young men's insecurities. He stated that boys are not the problem but the market. He said the movement offers a sense of belonging and identity that schools and families may not provide, then sells a cure for the insecurity it cultivates. He urged the government to focus on who profits from this model rather than debating what boys watch.

The report recommends that regulation target online platforms rather than users. This approach mirrors bans on tobacco advertisements aimed at children. The authors also called for investments in boys' education, employment, and mental health services to address the root causes of isolation.

Jake Richards, the UK Minister for Men and Boys, called the report a wake-up call. He said the government is working to improve outcomes in education and employment for men and boys. This week, the government launched a misogyny prevention fund. Bridget Phillipson, the Minister for Women and Equalities, launched a national taskforce on misogyny last month. Richards said these initiatives are part of a cross-government effort to address the issue.

Mark Brooks, Policy Director at the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys, supported the public health framing. He noted that previous discussions often treated all men as the problem without considering economic or cultural drivers. Alex DiBranco, executive director of the Institute for Research on Male Supremacism, offered a different view. She warned that a mental health approach might center men as the main victims, potentially erasing the experiences of women and girls who face the consequences of misogynist ideology.