The Netflix series Adolescence has ignited urgent conversations about the challenges young people face today, from mental health struggles to societal pressures. But one thread in the show’s discourse stands out as a chilling reflection of reality: the rise of online harm, the radicalisation of young men, and the normalisation of misogyny in digital spaces.
The internet has become a powerful tool for connection, education, and activism. But in its shadowed corners, it has also become a breeding ground for harm. Online platforms, designed to connect us, have become breeding grounds for extremist ideologies. Young men, often isolated or searching for belonging, are targeted by algorithms that funnel them into echo chambers filled with red-pill rhetoric, incel communities, and extreme messages. These spaces prey on insecurity, offering a warped sense of empowerment through blaming women, minorities, or “the system” for their struggles. As recent cultural conversations highlight, we are witnessing an alarming trend: the grooming of boys into toxic online spaces that teach them to see women as enemies rather than equals.
How Online Harm is Fueling Misogyny
Social media platforms, gaming forums, and content-sharing sites have become prime recruiting grounds for extremist thought. What starts as casual engagement- watching a podcast, following a meme page, can quickly spiral into a toxic pipeline that legitimises violence against women. Studies show that 45% of young men encounter misogynistic content regularly online, while hate groups increasingly recruit through gaming platforms and meme culture. Algorithms designed to maximise engagement push young men further down these rabbit holes, serving them content that reinforces the idea that feminism is a threat, that women are to blame for their frustrations, and that their anger should be weaponised.
The rise of self-proclaimed “men’s rights” influencers, who disguise their misogyny as self-improvement advice, is particularly insidious. They capitalise on male insecurities, offering a false sense of belonging while vilifying women. The rise of influencers like Andrew Tate, a self-proclaimed “misogynist entrepreneur”, has supercharged the pipeline from alienation to radicalisation. Tate glorifies wealth, hypermasculinity, and the subjugation of women, is a gateway to the broader “manosphere”: a network of incel online communities that weaponise male insecurity into hatred. Algorithms amplify this content, pushing young men from viral masculinity memes to far-right conspiracy theories. A 2023 study by Hope Not Hate found 1 in 5 boys aged 11-17 admire Tate’s ideology underscoring his cultural footprint. Many young men, seeking guidance in a confusing world, are drawn into these narratives without realising they are being radicalised.
The Consequences of Inaction
This online radicalisation isn’t just theoretical; it has real-world consequences. We see it in rising rates of harassment, domestic abuse, and even acts of mass violence committed by men who absorbed these harmful ideologies. It manifests in the increasing hostility towards women in public and professional spaces, the dismissal of gender-based violence, and the erosion of rights hard-fought by previous generations.
All of this also intersects with movements that frame gender equality as a threat. From anti-feminist rhetoric in political campaigns to laws restricting reproductive rights, reactionary politics validate the same misogyny peddled by Tate and his peers.
Ignoring this issue allows it to fester. It allows young men to be pulled into a cycle of anger and blame instead of being encouraged to engage critically with their emotions and societal structures. It enables misogyny to become normalised, making it harder for women and marginalised communities to exist safely both online and offline.
What Can We Do About It?
The responsibility to challenge this growing tide of misogyny doesn’t just fall on parents or teachers, it’s on all of us.
Platforms must do more: Tech companies need to take real action against hate speech and extremist content. That means stronger moderation, disrupting harmful algorithms, and deplatforming known propagators of misogyny.
Education matters: We need comprehensive media literacy in schools to teach young people how to critically engage with online content. Boys need role models who show them that strength isn’t about dominance, but about respect and empathy.
We need to speak up: Challenging harmful beliefs among friends, family, and colleagues isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary. These conversations, online and offline- can disrupt the pathways to radicalisation and offer alternative perspectives.
Support for survivors: As online misogyny translates into real-world harm, we must ensure that survivors of abuse have access to justice, support, safety and are heard.
Conclusion
This isn’t just an “internet problem”- it’s a societal one. If we want a future where young men are not lost to hate, where women and marginalised people can live without fear, we need to take action now. It starts with recognising the problem, holding those responsible accountable, and ensuring that the next generation is equipped to resist the pull of misogyny and violence. The fight against online harm is one we must all be part of.