Teen boy looking at phone while manosphere influencers content appears on screen
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New Research Shows One in Three Teen Boys Follow Manosphere Influencers

ByChildren of the Digital Age

A new study of 601 American boys aged 13 to 17 found that roughly one in three follow Andrew Tate at least a little. Another 11.6 per cent follow Jordan Peterson. The research, published in Psychology of Men & Masculinities, links this exposure to stronger traditional masculinity beliefs even after researchers controlled for messages boys already hear at home.

The study was led by Erica Scharrer of the University of Massachusetts Amherst with L. Monique Ward and Brenda L. Volling of the University of Michigan. Boys who followed these figures were more likely to endorse emotional detachment, dominance, toughness and antifemininity as ideal male traits. Parental emphasis on traditional gender roles and a boy’s own high self-rating of masculinity predicted who engaged with the content in the first place. Followers were no less connected to family or friends than other boys. Depression and hostility levels looked similar across the sample. Full details of the research appear in the paper “Following manosphere influencers and endorsement of traditional masculinity beliefs among adolescent boys”.

This is not abstract. Algorithms on short form platforms reward the most provocative voices. A boy searching for fitness tips, dating advice or confidence, content can land in manosphere material within minutes. The Children’s Society notes that the manosphere is an online ecosystem promoting anti-feminist and misogynistic ideas. It can exploit boys who feel lonely, bullied or uncertain about what it means to be male. Extreme misogyny and incel ideology are now recognised pathways within the UK’s Prevent strategy.

Manosphere influencers do not invent the underlying pressures. They market simple scripts for complex problems. Loneliness, status anxiety and questions about relationships get reframed as evidence that men are under attack. Once a boy engages, the recommendation systems keep feeding more of the same.

What the Numbers Actually Mean

Only about 9% of the boys named a manosphere figure as one of their top three favourite influencers. Most exposure is lighter and more casual, but this may not make it harmless. The association with rigid masculinity beliefs held after statistical controls for age, parental messages and self-perceived masculinity. Following Tate predicted higher scores across every measure the researchers used. Following Peterson predicted higher support for toughness, dominance and relationship-specific norms.

Household messages mattered more than any single social media follow. Boys who heard stronger traditional gender role messages at home were more likely both to follow the influencers and to hold the related beliefs. It is important to note the research does not claim social media causes the views in isolation. It suggests that online content and home socialisation reinforce each other.

The Children’s Society lists practical warning signs parents and teachers can watch for. These include sudden use of manosphere slang such as “Chad,” “beta” or “red pill,” increased secrecy around screens, and abrupt hostility toward mothers, sisters or female teachers. Some boys withdraw from sports, hobbies and offline friendships. None of these signs prove radicalisation. Together they might signal a conversation is overdue.

Why Curiosity Beats Confrontation

Experts who work with boys on these topics repeatedly warn against opening with judgment. Leading with “that content is toxic” or confiscating devices, often increases secrecy. The Children’s Society advises starting with open questions. Ask what the boy thinks the influencer is saying and why it appeals. Challenge specific claims with evidence rather than labels. Offer alternative ways of thinking without demanding instant agreement.

One practical step is regular one to one time, that is not screen based. A weekly walk, drive or shared activity creates space for conversation before the content has fully taken hold. Parents can also name the “man box” rules when they appear, toughness, never needing help, dominance. The goal is not to police every video, it’s to keep the home as a place where rigid scripts can be questioned.

Irish parents and teachers face the same algorithms. Platform design does not stop at national borders. The gender gap in how safe children feel online, documented in the EU Kids Online 2026 study, already shows that girls report lower perceived safety in almost every participating country. Rigid online scripts about gender can widen that gap further.

Practical Steps for Families and Schools

We need to start with the conversation, not the controls. Ask open questions about influencers the boy already sees. Listen first, then set clear household expectations about respectful language toward women and girls. Every parent should certainly reduce unsupervised late night scrolling where algorithms have free rein.

Device level tools also still matter. Review privacy and recommendation settings on the platforms males actually use. Our resources for parents afford substantial platform specific guidance. Our digital wellbeing guide covers sleep, offline time and basic screen boundaries, which may also help. For boys already showing hostility or secrecy, the warning signs listed by the Children’s Society can afford a starting point for a calm talk. For a roader context on how technology can reshape relationships we offer advice in our article on how technology is eradicating natural male-female relationships.

Schools may see the effects in classrooms. Comments that once stayed online now appear in group chats and corridors. Open discussion of the research findings, without moralising, can help boys recognise the pipeline before it deepens. Teachers do not need to become experts in every influencer. They just need to be aware of sudden changes in language and respect. Remember it is essential to keep channels open. Our #HowRUDoinOnline initiative offers further practical framing for these conversations: #HowRUDoinOnline?.

The study authors call for longer term research that tracks the same boys over time and measures misogynistic attitudes more directly. Until that exists, the current evidence is clear enough for action. The content is easy to find and may by exasperated if messages at home amplify the manosphere message.

We can never forget that algorithms amplify the strongest voices, regardless of the content. Families and schools that stay curious and consistent still have leverage.

References

Further Reading

About Children of the Digital Age

Children of the Digital Age provides online safety education and training for schools, parents and organisations. Our guides support practical conversations about online behaviour and the choices people make. However, education and app settings do not replace safeguarding or professional support.

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