By Steven Roberts and Stephanie Wescott
Many parents are worried about their children using social media. But these concerns tend to focus on privacy, exposure to explicit material or contact with strangers.
As researchers looking at sexism and misogyny in Australian schools and the influence of social media, we think it is also important for parents to understand how algorithms work.
These can drive misogynistic content towards 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 amplify social and political divisions. It is also showing how these platforms spread prejudice, hate speech and misinformation.
At the same time, researchers are identifying a growing divide between young men and women in their attitudes towards gender equality.
Our own research has found a disturbing increase in sexism, sexual harassment and misogyny in Australian schools. This includes examples of boys physically intimidating women teachers in schools, gaslighting them, saying they are “hysterical”, describing gender inequality issues as “myths”, and saying things like “Miss, your boobs look really big today”.
Similar examples emerged from other Australian research this year.
Our research, done via interviews with Australian teachers, suggests these views are influenced by the rise of figures from the “manosphere” (a collection of extreme men’s communities that are anti-women) on social media.
Pixabay/Pexels, CC BY
How do algorithms work?
How are boys and young men coming into contact with this content?
Algorithms play a huge role in what we all see online.
Algorithms are set up by human coders, but once operational they are automated pathways that direct content to social media users. They are optimised to get us to click, like, share and view content and keep coming back. This is the key 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, as a social media user demonstrates increasing interest in specific content or activities, they receive more of it.
Boys are ‘fed’ misogyny online
Recent studies have shown us how boys and young men are being fed 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 showed boys and young men were lured to the manosphere through “recommended video” features that pop up. On YouTube shorts (which feature shorter videos) this phenomenon was worse. The study found the algorithm was seen to:
optimise more aggressively in response to user behaviour and show more extreme videos within a relatively brief time frame.
A 2024 Irish study made similar findings.
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 18-year-old boy who sought content typically associated with masculine gender norms for their age (such as the gym, sport and video games), a 16- and 18- year-old boy who sought manosphere content, and one blank control account.
Misogynist manosphere content was sent to users regardless of whether those accounts actively searched for it. This was especially the case for the profiles set up as teenage boys seeking out content typically associated with masculine gender norms. All accounts were presented with masculinist, extremist and anti-feminist content and the frequency increased once their account demonstrated interest or engagement.
Ben den Engelsen/Unsplash, CC BY
How does misogynist content radicalise boys?
We believe what is occurring is very serious. In our research we use the term “misogynist radicalisation” to describe what is happening to some boys and young men.
This phrase was selected to capture a stark and sudden shift in boys’ attitudes and behaviour towards women and girls in Australian schools, which teachers report occurred at the return from lockdown and remote schooling.
Although “radicalisation” is typically used to refer to the process of being recruited to religious or political terrorist ideology, research has identified misogyny as a feature of right-wing terrorism.
At the same time, the “incel” (or involuntary celibate) community is also being seen as a possible terrorist threat. Incels, who are mostly men and boys, blame and resent women for their own inability to find a sexual partner.
We also know misogyny perpetuates gender inequity and biases that underpin violence against women.
While we are not suggesting boys and young people who are influenced by extremist misogynist ideology will all become violent or recruited to other extremist groups, it is important to consider misogyny as both a form of extremism and as an ideology.
Research shows young people who view misogynist content are likely to harbour unhealthy views on relationships. A 2024 UK study on teenagers also found “manfluencer” Andrew Tate’s content is emotionally engaging for boys and young men. It encourages feelings of fear and anger as well as belief in myths about gender equity.
What can parents of boys do?
An outright ban for young people is not necessarily the right step to take (even if such a ban could work). Research tells us social media is an important space for young men to explore their identities, interests and establish connections with others.
So we need education both for parents and young people about how algorithms shape the feeds of young people’s social media accounts, and how this content can deliberately exploit their emotions and beliefs.
One key thing parents can do is initiate open, respectful conversations with their children about what they are viewing online.
These conversations should be free of judgement or reprimand and allow children to describe what they are seeing and why it might interest them. Open-ended questions that encourage your children to express their views are a good place to start. For example, “Can you tell me a little about about X? What’s interesting about their content?”
Judgement-free conversations are important so young people don’t fear bringing up difficult experiences. If you are going to be critical of something, try and do this together, with children contributing to explanations of whether specific content can be harmful and to whom.
You can also talk about the implications of “echo chambers” and how these are generated by algorithms. Some examples might include: “Do you notice you’re seeing a lot of content by one particular creator? Or on one particular topic?” or “How does the content you are seeing make you feel?”.
There are also lots of useful organisations providing specific advice for parents around algorithms and general safety online.
Ron Lach/Pexels, CC BY
Watch and listen
Also, be on the look out for any changes in a child’s behaviour and attitudes towards women and girls.
Are there certain terms they are using that did not before? How do they react if certain figures in the news or popular culture come up in conversations? How are they relating to women and girls in their family and social circles? Do you find them expressing opinions that are not aligned with your family values?
If teachers approach you about problems with your child’s behaviour at school towards women and girls, try to be open to the conversation (rather than dismiss it as impossible). It is likely what parents see and hear is different to school and online contexts. Indeed, some teachers in our study reported boys expressed different versions of themselves and different views, depending on the audience.
If you do notice your child is expressing some concerning views, as well as initiating an open, calm discussion with them, we recommend contacting your child’s teachers or school wellbeing team. You can also seek support and advice from the eSafety Commissioner.
Steven Roberts is Professor of Education and Social Justice at Monash University. Stephanie Wescott is Lecturer in Humanities and Social Sciences at Monash University.
The Conversation arose out of deep-seated concerns for the fading quality of our public discourse and recognition of the vital role that academic experts could play in the public arena. Information has always been essential to democracy. It’s a societal good, like clean water. But many now find it difficult to put their trust in the media and experts who have spent years researching a topic. Instead, they listen to those who have the loudest voices. Those uninformed views are amplified by social media networks that reward those who spark outrage instead of insight or thoughtful discussion. The Conversation seeks to be part of the solution to this problem, to raise up the voices of true experts and to make their knowledge available to everyone. The Conversation publishes nightly at 9 p.m. on FlaglerLive.
BIG Neighbor says
Gang like mentalities are hard to shake once you’re in. Be aware of gaming and digital culture creep.
BIG Neighbor says
REF: https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/22/us/california-mother-warning-white-supremacists-soh/index.html
Laurel says
Men who are misogynistic are lacking in confidence. I can’t imagine any parent who would want their male child to have such a miserable life, and be afraid of women to the point they cannot function properly. Clearly, this is not normal. The fact that there are men who target young men and boys, to spread their propaganda, sounds like pedophile behavior to me. A normal, grown man would not show such fear and hatred towards women, whether they are sexually attracted to them or not.
Men have been historically afraid of women, actually for centuries. They were so intimidated by the thought of a woman being able to give birth to another human being, that they determined that women were merely incubators, and that the baby was in full form in the male’s sperm. Suppression is nothing new, when people fear something or someone, the reaction is to suppress. Women are forced to wear Burkas because men claim they cannot control themselves. Seriously? That is nothing more than perpetuated fear, and denying self blame.
My husband is a very confident man. I told him of this article, and told him he is the way he is because of his confidence. He stated that he doesn’t understand why some men harbor such a negative view. When I told him of his confidence, and gave him the scenario that as a young fellow, if he walked up to a girl and asked her to dance, and she turned him down, he would be fine with it. He said “I’d tell her that she made a good choice because I’m not a great dancer! A least she would think I had a sense of humor!” Then he would move on to some other girl, no offense taken. He also said there is someone for everyone.
How on God’s green Earth could a bad attitude help a man find a good woman? To be sexist is perpetually creating misery, and unnecessarily so. These boys are being manipulated in a very negative way, not only for women, but for them personally. It’s hard to believe that anyone, such as a “manfluencer” would want to do such harm to otherwise nice kids and young people. Misery loves company, I guess.
Look who kids have to look to in this country: “…grab them by the pussy,” “crazy childless cat ladies,” “Karens.” “She’s too stupid to give a news conference,” “she slept her way up,” “she’s a DEI hire,” a man found guilty of sexual assault is running for the highest office in the land. All this nonsense is sickening, and destructive. We need to evolve, and have real men, and real women who do not support such divisive, destructive behavior, for our younger generations have someone to look UP to, and learn the confidence to live together in a happier, more positive life.
Skibum says
Laurel, very well said. BTW, in my haste I inadvertently cut off the name except for the “s” in my comment below.
s says
It stated near the top of this article that a study found sexism and misogyny in Australia’s schools. Well guess what? It is extremely common here as well. Where do you think a lot of this stuff is coming from, you might ask? In our current political environment, the two MAGA GOP candidates’ campaign talk about democrat women as being “childless cat ladies” and “post menopausal women” as if it is okay for men and boys to identify and talk about the opposite sex as if the are merely a walking, breathing vagina. As if their one and only purpose here on earth is to procreate at a male’s command, at the time and place the male dictates. As if, once the deed is done and a baby pops out of the female’s womb, she is useless once again until the next time the man decides it is time again to mount his walking, breathing female sex organ. Disgusting? Yes. Misogynistic? Yes. Animalistic? Yes. All women should be horrified to be reduced to and valued only for their female sex organ by conservative MAGA republicans. Here in the 21st century United States of America, there is no room for such backwards, contemptuous descriptions or treatment of women, and the only way to teach a lesson to the troglodytes who keep pushing the antiquated notion that women are nothing more than inferior, birthing objects, people need to get out and VOTE with a huge, resounding NO to the MAGA cult that is trying to make America into their warped societal version of a “Handmaid’s Tale”.