It usually starts with a video. A young man, scrolling aimlessly through social media, lands on a charismatic male influencer speaking about the so-called downfall of masculinity. The man on the screen is confident and self-assured. He speaks with an air of authority. He’d say something like feminism has gone too far; women are no longer just seeking equality—they are taking something away from men. He’ll say society is rigged against men, that young men must “fight back” and reclaim their power, their dominance.
Many such videos rack up millions of views. At first, the young men watch with mild curiosity. Then, after some time, the algorithm shows them another video; and another one. That’s the gateway into an online world known as the manosphere. The manosphere is a loosely connected web of social media influencers, bloggers, and forum participants. They encourage authoritarian, aggressive ideas about masculinity. Here, women are both desired and despised—seen as manipulative, deceitful, and ultimately responsible for male struggles.
The manosphere isn’t new. For over a decade, it has served as an incubator for misogynistic beliefs. The internet is riddled with communities that range from self-help spaces for struggling men to radicalized groups promoting violent retaliation. What is new, however, is its growing influence on younger generations through a group of highly visible social media personalities known as manfluencers.
Through these influencers, the manosphere is no longer at the fringes of the internet. Popular channels command millions of followers across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. They’ve made it to the mainstream and even into high-level politics. They package their messages in slick, digestible videos. They often blend self-improvement advice with rhetoric that frames women and feminism as the root of male disempowerment.
The rise of manfluencers has coincided with a worrying increase in misogynistic attitudes. New research analyzed whether there’s a connection between the two and whether the manosphere is making men more misogynistic.
More than just a coincidence
The research, conducted in Sweden, combined a large-scale survey (with 2,857 male participants) and two controlled experiments. The results were stark: Young men who followed more manfluencers were significantly more likely to dehumanize women. Exposure to misogynistic content from influencers also heightened mistrust toward women, particularly among those who had experienced past romantic rejection.
In one of the experiments, young men were shown a fictional manfluencer’s post warning. The post claimed that women were “taking over leading positions in society” and that this trend “must be stopped.” Exposure to this content led participants to report greater mistrust of women. This effect was particularly strong among those who had felt romantically rejected in the past.
The second experiment tested whether exposure to manfluencer content that frames feminism as a threat increases misogynistic attitudes. Researchers showed Swedish male participants either a fictional social media post warning that women were gaining power at men’s expense or a neutral, non-threatening post unrelated to gender. Afterward, participants estimated the percentage of sexual harassment cases they believed were falsely reported—a measure of their mistrust toward women.
The results showed that men exposed to the manfluencer post were more likely to believe that women fabricate harassment claims. Again, the effect was stronger among men who had previously felt rejected by women.
A cultural battle for young minds
Sweden may sound like a strange place for such a study given that it’s one of the most egalitarian countries in the world. However, Sweden has the highest per capita number of users on misogynistic forums. Previous studies have found that Sweden is a “hotspot for incels“. The study’s authors note that this paradox reflects a broader global backlash against feminism, where increasing gender equality provokes a counter-reaction among some men who feel left behind.
Political factors also play a role. Sweden’s right-wing populist party, the Sweden Democrats, has surged in popularity, in part by appealing to conservative gender norms. The study found that young men who identified with right-wing ideologies were more likely to harbor misogynistic views and follow manfluencers. Many countries have a political party that’s similar in this regard.
Ultimately, this study paints a sobering picture. The manosphere is not just a niche corner of the internet; it is an influential force actively shaping the beliefs of the next generation, and it’s making men more misogynistic and radicalized. If young men feel threatened by social progress, they may increasingly turn to figures who validate their fears and reinforce misogynistic worldviews.
Social network algorithms also play a role in amplifying these messages, creating a feedback loop that deepens misogynistic attitudes. Once a young man engages with manfluencer content—whether by watching a video, liking a post, or even pausing to read—platform algorithms detect his interest and serve him more of the same. Over time, his feed becomes an echo chamber, reinforcing the idea that feminism is a threat and that women are to blame for male struggles.
These online figures aren’t just offering dating advice or lifestyle tips. They are actively reshaping how young men perceive women, relationships, and gender equality—one algorithmic recommendation at a time.
The study was published in the journal Manosphere.
