A study published in The Lancet suggests that the manosphere, defined as an online community advocating sexist views or defending masculinity against female autonomy, should be addressed as a public health problem, equating it to smoking and obesity.
The study's authors argue that male issues are often presented within the manosphere as a consequence of feminism, rather than being viewed as structural conditions. Furthermore, male identity is commercialized through paid products and content that reinforce health-damaging and performance-focused masculinities.
The work details that the manosphere constitutes an 'informal set of online communities united by shared beliefs about masculinity, misogyny, and male victimization' and can be seen as a 'commercial ecosystem.' This occurs because revenue is generated through platform advertising, subscription models, and content creation.
The researchers add that algorithms tend to promote content aimed at maximizing attention and monetization. This amplification is not passive, as the financial incentives structuring the manosphere reward the most extreme manifestations of toxic masculinity and misogyny, since indignation and resentment benefit the business.
The scholars warn that, similar to the tobacco and ultra-processed food industries, content creators and platforms employ tactics that individualize responsibility. Efforts to regulate or moderate this content are frequently presented as threats to male autonomy, limiting the political space for any intervention.
The report emphasizes the need for a coordinated response involving governments, educational institutions, health services, and community groups, similar to the fight against obesity and smoking. It is crucial to ensure equitable access to mental health services and other primary care, as well as promoting employment and skills to improve access to the job market.
The adopted strategies must avoid framing masculinity as intrinsically toxic or men and boys as inherently problematic. Experts point out that social isolation and exclusion are factors that lead men to consume this type of material.
Kent Buse, co-author of the article and founder of the Global 50/50 social justice reflection group, argued that it is a business model, not a marginal phenomenon. He predicted that the strategy used by the tobacco industry—blaming the individual and labeling regulation as an attack on freedom—will be replicated. Buse stated that public health has proven tools to combat commercial harm, and these must be utilized.
The same scholar stressed that the problem does not lie with the boys and men, but rather with the conditions that leave them isolated and without future prospects, and with the companies that profit from their insecurity and anger.
Meanwhile, Sarah Hawkes, another co-author of the report, highlighted that the manosphere provides young people with a sense of belonging, identity, and an explanation for perceived difficulties in life. She maintained that a response that merely eliminates the manosphere, without offering credible alternatives, will be ineffective, necessitating the provision of something better to young people instead of just indicating what they should avoid.
