If you have felt a wave of hostility on social media, you are imgagining it. The United Nations officially worried about the rise of toxic masculinity and so should we be. 

According to May 2025 UN report, there is an increasing fueling on what's called the manosphere on online platforms. It refers to a loosely connected network of influencers, creators as well as forums spreading hate under the guise of men empowerment. 

 

Manosphere..Where Misogyny Hides in Plain Sight

Behind every alpha advice video is a digital trap. The manosphere, a messy network of influencers, anti-feminist YouTubers, and lifestyle “coaches” , has become a breeding ground for hate speech, gendered disinformation, as well as dangerous stereotypes.

UN experts have called out how this type of content blurs lines between self-help and radicalization. What starts as just advice for struggling men often turns into misogyny rebranded.

“Some influencers promote male superiority and justify violence against women and LGBTQ+ individuals under the disguise of traditional masculinity"  the UN warned.

 

Toxic Masculinity: Not Just a Buzzword

The concept of toxic masuclinity is not about hating men. It is focused on the harmful norms such as never asking for help, supressing emotions and dominating women. Add a dose of internet fame as well as crypto-bro nihilism and you have got a viral content that attracts million views. 

A 2024 study by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) found that Andrew Tate’s content alone had over 11.6 billion views on TikTok. That’s not niche. That’s mainstream influence.

Why the UN’s Warning Is a Big Deal

Because policy and platforms have been slow to act. By explicitly calling out the manosphere, the UN is pushing platforms and governments to take this seriously. Algorithms love engagement, and rage-farming content is low-effort, high-ROI.

“The normalization of these ideologies is one of the biggest threats to gender equality today,” the report said.

 

What Can We Actually Do?

Hint: It’s not just blocking or reporting. Yes, platforms need stronger moderation. But we also need better digital literacy, especially for teens. This means teaching users to question viral content, recognize manipulative language, and critically engage with what they’re seeing.

We also need more alternative male role models online, ones that promote empathy, mental health, and actual confidence, not fake alpha energy.

 

The Manosphere Isn’t “Just Online” Anymore

If the UN’s warning tells us anything, it’s this: The rise of toxic masculinity online isn’t just a trend, it’s a cultural crisis. From casual misogyny in comment sections to influencers monetizing hate, the manosphere thrives because we scroll, shrug, and move on. That’s not good enough anymore.

So the next time your feed serves up a viral high-value man rant, pause. Question it. Call it out. Because silence isn’t neutral. It’s a signal that this is okay. And it’s so not.