Manosphere must be treated as public health problem 'similar to smoking', experts warn

The manosphere must be treated as a public health problem in a similar way to smoking, academics have argued. Authors of a new report published by The Lancet define the movement as a "diffuse commercial ecosystem and loose collection of online communities united by shared beliefs about masculinity, misogyny and male victimisation". They argue the manosphere has directly contributed to health harms, including violence against women and girls and mental health issues. Researchers also claim male-centric influencers have delegitimised the idea of boys and men seeking help. The concept of the manosphere has circulated in the public consciousness through Netflix's Adolescence and Louis Theroux's documentary, which featured British influencer Harrison Sullivan, known as HSTikkyTokky. Andrew Tate, who has been held in a Miami jail since July, is also part of the movement. Their report read: "Similar to the tobacco and ultra-processed food industries, content creators and hosting platforms deploy strategies that individualise responsibility. "Men's problems are framed as the result of feminism rather than structural conditions, and masculine identity is commodified through products and paid content that normalise and reinforce health-harming and performance-oriented masculinities. "Efforts to regulate or moderate content are frequently framed as threats to men’s autonomy, restricting political space for intervention." Factors including educational marginalisation, social exclusion and isolation in boys and young men were identified as issues which must be addressed. The authors say that boosting employment, skills to improve access to jobs, re-engaging boys in education and ensuring "equitable access to mental health and other frontline health services" are provided for young men to tackle what they view as a crisis. The authors argued that tackling the manosphere should involve a co-ordinated response by governments, schools, health services and community organisations as for any other public health risk. But they warn against framing "masculinity as inherently toxic or boys and men as inherently problematic". Instead, regulation should be focused on online platforms, similar to bans on tobacco advertisements directed at children, rather than criminalising smokers. They call for new regulation to strengthen "existing content moderation to restrict harmful environments and harnessing the power of algorithms to promote positive messaging and norms alongside regulation of the structural features that sustain harm". HEALTH RISKS: Co-author Professor Kent Buse, affiliated with the Department of Global Population Health at Monash University Malaysia, argued boys and men are not the problem, but rather the business model set up to target them. He said: "This is a business model, not a fringe. Outrage and grievance are good for business, so the system rewards the most extreme content. "Expect the playbook that served tobacco so well: blame the individual, and call regulation an attack on freedom. Public health has a tested toolkit for commercial harms and we should use it. "Boys and men are not the problem. The problem is the conditions that leave them isolated and without a secure future, and the companies that profit from their anger and insecurity." The report concluded: "The harms to boys and men, to women and girls, and to wider society, provide a clear basis for action. "Reducing these harms requires addressing the societal and economic conditions, commercial structures, and social norms that sustain the appeal of the manosphere. "This is a political, legal, economic, and social challenge demanding coordinated, sustained action on multiple fronts; a public health framing can unlock such an approach." Minister for Men and Boys, Jake Richards, said: "This report lays bare the impact of toxic online influences and why action is needed now. "This is not just an issue for men and boys; it is a wider societal challenge. "As the first minister for men and boys, I’m determined to drive this issue up the national agenda, dismantle the manosphere, and give young men the opportunities and role models they need to thrive. "This all goes hand-in-hand with our work to tackle violence against women and girls and create safer communities for everyone." Follow related topics: