Lancet report calls for public health action on the online manosphere

A report published in The Lancet says the online manosphere should be treated as a public health problem, in the same way as the tobacco industry. It calls for action on a loose collection of online communities tied together by shared beliefs about masculinity, misogyny and male victimisation.

The report says those communities contribute to violence against women and girls and to mental health problems. It also warns that they discourage boys and men from seeking help. GB News reported that the paper draws a parallel with the tobacco and processed food industries.

Professor Sarah Hawkes, a co-author of the report, told ITV that online misogyny normalises the idea that women and girls are not equal to men and boys. She said this can translate into physical violence. She also said some communities normalise rape and an acceptance that consent is not needed.

ITV reported figures from Professor Hawkes: surveys of 16- and 17-year-old boys in the UK found that around 80% had consumed media by Andrew Tate, and US surveys found that 90% of young people were online for five hours a day or more. She said the toxicity of the communities was increasing, with boys who start in relatively benign spaces quickly moving to more toxic ones.

The authors want joined-up government action involving health, education, taxation and regulation, Professor Hawkes told ITV. She said regulatory and restrictive responses, such as taking away children's phones or blocking algorithms, were not enough on their own.

On GB News, guests debated the report and its comparison with smoking. One guest said he had a 14-year-old son who had been drawn to looks-maxing content. Another guest, a teacher, said boys used words such as 'slag' casually and that girls were left feeling worthless. A guest also said Labour had put £15 million towards an anti-misogyny fund, which the guest described as nothing.