Synopsis: Similar to the tobacco and ultra-processed food industries, content creators and hosting platforms deploy strategies that individualise responsibility. Manosphere frames men’s problems 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. Researchers said this should not be viewed — or dismissed — merely as an internet subculture. Instead, it should be recognised as a public health concern.
The growing influence of the manosphere, a network of online communities promoting anti-feminist, misogynistic and male-supremacist ideologies, could have far-reaching consequences for men’s health—affecting their mental wellbeing, body image, healthcare-seeking behaviour and attitude towards women, according to two papers published in The Lancet on 31 October.
The researchers argue that what is often dismissed as an internet subculture has evolved into a commercial ecosystem that profits from male insecurities, social isolation and resentment.
In Reframing the Manosphere: A Public Health Response to a Commercial Ecosystem, Prof Sarah J Hawkes and Prof Kent Buse argued that the movement should be recognised as a determinant of health rather than treated merely as a problem of harmful online content.
Just as the social media industry has been
“Just as the social media industry has been conceptualised as a commercial determinant of health, we argue that the manosphere should be understood within similar frameworks and addressed as a public health harm,” they wrote.
The manosphere includes men’s rights activists, incels, red-pill followers, pick-up artists, looksmaxxers and the Men Going Their Own Way movement. Despite differences between these groups, many portray feminism as responsible for men’s personal and social difficulties.
The researchers described these hierarchies as “mainly based on physical attractiveness and socioeconomic status”. Such idealised representations, they warned, have been linked to body dissatisfaction and psychological distress.
The looksmaxxing movement takes this further by encouraging
The looksmaxxing movement takes this further by encouraging men to improve their appearance through cosmetic products, fitness regimes and surgical procedures. Supplements, steroids and biohacking are also marketed as ways to achieve physical superiority.
The researchers argued that such commercialisation turns insecurity into an opportunity for profit, with influencers directing audiences towards paid products, subscriptions and self-improvement programmes.
“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,” they noted.
The business model extends to platform advertising, subscriptions
The business model extends to platform advertising, subscriptions and content creation, with controversial material often generating greater engagement.
“Algorithms promote content that maximises attention and monetisation. This amplification is not passive: the financial incentives structuring the manosphere reward the most extreme expressions of misogyny and aggrieved masculinity because outrage and grievance are good for business,” the researchers said.
Cross-sectional studies have identified high levels of mental ill health and social isolation in some manosphere-affiliated communities, particularly among incels. The researchers also warn that so-called manfluencers can discourage professional help-seeking and reinforce mental health stigma.
At a time when boys are disengaging
“At a time when boys are disengaging from education systems, and men are over-represented in suicide statistics and in rates of incarceration, health and social care systems that can offer support are under increasing financial pressure and are struggling to deliver services, and narratives of male disadvantage gain a great deal of traction,” the authors write.
For young men struggling with identity, relationships or social acceptance, these online groups can offer belonging and explanations for their difficulties. However, the researchers argue that they frequently redirect frustration towards feminism rather than address underlying economic insecurity and social isolation.
“For many boys and men, manosphere communities offer what mainstream institutions have not: belonging, identity, and a coherent explanation for failure,” they wrote.
The authors cautioned that rigorous empirical evidence establishing
The authors cautioned that rigorous empirical evidence establishing a causal relationship between manosphere exposure and mental health problems remains scarce.
The researchers identified associations between exposure to manosphere ideology, acceptance of rape myths and sexual aggression. An online survey of frontline domestic and family violence workers found that some men using these services drew on manosphere-originating language, including victimhood narratives, anti-diversity views and claims that legal and court systems were biased against men.
The paper also highlighted coordinated online violence, including doxxing, cyberstalking and rape threats, which disproportionately targets women and girls. Such attacks can contribute to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and self-silencing among victims.
Challenging narratives that women have gained an unfair
Challenging narratives that women have gained an unfair advantage over men. “The perceived female advantage these narratives assert is not borne out of evidence: progress on women’s rights is facing substantial obstacles in many settings,” the researchers said.
They also noted that almost nine in 10 people globally hold at least one fundamental bias against women.
“Engagement-driven platforms reward outrage and toxicity, funnelling some users from mainstream social media towards manosphere influencers who promote extreme ideas of masculinity and sexist and misogynistic views about women,” the authors write.
A study examining 28.8 million online posts between
A study examining 28.8 million online posts between 2005 and 2018 found an increase in extreme misogynistic views and a movement of users from older communities, including pick-up artists and men’s rights activists, towards groups such as incels and Men Going Their Own Way.
The paper also cited a 2023 UK study that found 80% of boys aged 16 to 17 had watched content by Andrew Tate.
Studies across high-income, low-income, and middle-income countries have also raised concerns about associations between social media use and sexist attitudes among boys. However, methodological limitations make causal claims difficult.
Ireland adopted the first national men’s health policy
Ireland adopted the first national men’s health policy in 2008, while relatively few countries have followed with comprehensive strategies. England published its first men’s health strategy in November 2025.
The authors argued that this neglect reflects political priorities and institutional weaknesses rather than a lack of evidence.
“Men’s health has been largely absent from global and national health policy agendas despite evidence of high burdens of preventable morbidity and mortality,” they wrote.
They identify agenda power as a major reason
They identify “agenda power” as a major reason for this neglect, describing it as the ability to make men’s health politically sensitive, morally ambiguous or easier to ignore.
“The most consequential form of power has often been agenda power: the capacity to render men’s health politically sensitive, morally ambiguous, or safely ignored. Men’s health has therefore been shaped by agenda, power, and institutionalised silence,” the authors noted.
They argued that the resulting policy vacuum has allowed online influencers, commercial actors and largely unregulated manosphere communities to occupy space that public health institutions have failed to address.
Recognising men’s health needs should not come
However, recognising men’s health needs should not come at the expense of women’s health or other gender identities. The researchers called for a broader approach rooted in gender equality and health equity.
Their recommendations included tackling economic insecurity and educational exclusion, strengthening social and emotional skills among young people, improving access to healthcare and regulating digital platforms whose business models amplify harmful content.
They also cautioned against portraying masculinity itself as inherently toxic, calling instead for positive and inclusive representations of male identity.
Drawing parallels with tobacco control, the authors argued
Drawing parallels with tobacco control, the authors argued that regulation should target commercial structures rather than individuals consuming the content.
“Tobacco control succeeded by targeting industry structures (E.g., by restricting advertisements and banning marketing directed at children) rather than by criminalising smokers,” they wrote.
They acknowledged that platform regulation presents distinct challenges because the manosphere is not a single product and online engagement also has legitimate and beneficial uses.
Ultimately, both papers called for action beyond content moderation.
“But 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,” the researchers added.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
