Online ideologies

Young people increasingly come into contact with content from the manosphere: a collection of online subcultures in which masculinity, gender roles and relationships are discussed, often with a negative or hostile tone towards women, LGBTI+ people and "mainstream" views. Popular clips and memes from influencers circulate via social media, often in an attractive and humorous format. The message: men are oppressed, women cannot be trusted, and "real" masculinity means control and dominance.

Online it is clear: videos, podcasts and quotes are quickly spread, translated and placed in a local context. That reinforces the impression that this is the "normal" or "tough" way of thinking. Some messages escalate into calls that are polarising or hateful, such as anti-feminist slogans or trivialisation of violence, and we see that attitude reflected in reactions and conversations among young people.

Why does this affect young people?

• Proximity — the examples often concern topics that are urgent for young people: relationships, sexuality, power, money and status
• Recognition & certainty — in an uncertain phase of life, the manosphere offers a seemingly clear story about "how the world works"
• Status & humour — memes and videos are often funny, sharp or brazen; sharing and joining in earns standing and likes
• Unpredictability — young people see a wide range of messages, from self-improvement and sport to hateful statements, and become confused about what is serious, real or desirable

How the trend develops:

• Visibility & normalisation — short videos and quotes are widely shared, often without context; young people show that they "belong" by reacting, tagging or repeating statements in class, online or on the street
• Offline effect — young people adopt slogans and ideas in conversations (sometimes as a joke, sometimes seriously); teachers and youth workers notice more sexist or polarising remarks; girls and LGBTI+ young people feel less safe in group conversations
• Reinforcing mechanism — each new clip or viral video increases visibility and makes the ideology more attractive, a self-reinforcing loop

What young people (literally) say:

• "He's right though, women just belong at home."
• "You just have to be alpha."
• "It's only a joke, everyone says that online."

These statements show insecurity, group pressure and sometimes a shift towards hostile thinking.

Signals / red flags for professionals:

• Increase in shared videos of manosphere figures at school or in group chats
• Young people increasingly normalising sexist or polarising remarks
• Group pressure to laugh along or repeat quotes
• Decline in trust among girls or LGBTI+ young people in the class/club
• Calls for exclusion or glorification of dominance and violence

Escalate to GEVAARLIJK (dangerous) with calls for exclusion, threats, hate speech or glorification of violence and dominance, or when the safety of girls or LGBTI+ young people is at stake.

Practical advice for action (for schools, municipality, youth work, police):

• Monitor the online world in a targeted and GDPR-aware way — look at which names, quotes and accounts are circulating and how young people talk about them; work with logs and short analyses, but respect privacy (no storage of personal data without necessity)
• Communicate transparently and quickly — discuss openly with young people that ideas like these circulate online and have an effect; explain that not everything is a "joke" or "the truth" and show how content is manipulated or edited
• Create safe offline alternatives — create places where young people can talk with role models about relationships, masculinity and respect; deploy peer educators or buddies who can offer a counter-voice on an equal footing
• De-escalation in the online sphere — provide media training and critical thinking tools (how do you recognise disinformation, how do you tell satire from a serious message); work with social media coaches to make young people aware of the consequences of sharing
• Safety and enforcement in balance — take freedom of expression into account, but intervene in cases of hate speech and threats; work in an outreaching way and discuss signals early rather than only reacting to incidents
• Responses to polarisation and hateful reactions — make room for counter-voices and alternative images of masculinity (sport, art, activism); support youth initiatives that promote equality and respect

• What do you find attractive or funny about this video or about an influencer you follow?
• What picture of relationships or masculinity do you get when you follow this?
• How would it feel for someone else to be called that?
• Which accounts do you follow and why do they appeal to you?
• What do you feel when you see these messages: recognition, pride, anger?

Acknowledge feelings of insecurity and the need for something to hold on to. Avoid a moralising tone; the conversation should leave room for doubt and nuance.

• TrendSein – Als online ideologieën jongeren vormen (Trendsein - online ideologieen .pdf, p. 1–7)