Treat Online Misogyny as a Public Health Crisis, Experts Urge

A newly published report suggests that governments should address online misogyny and the manosphere through a coordinated public health framework. According to authors writing in the Lancet, this approach should mirror strategies previously deployed against smoking and obesity.

The publication describes the manosphere as a commercial network of digital communities connected by beliefs centered on male victimisation and anti-female sentiment. Experts noted that this digital landscape has transformed into a profitable industry that rewards extreme content to drive revenue.

Co-author Prof Kent Buse stated that the system capitalizes on outrage and grievance in a manner reminiscent of the tobacco industry. He added that the focus should remain on addressing the conditions causing isolation among men and boys rather than blaming them directly.

The study also points to factors such as educational disengagement, financial stress, and loneliness that make young males susceptible to these online spaces. Prof Sarah Hawkes stressed that simply removing the content is insufficient without providing credible alternatives for belonging and identity.