Why in the News?

UN Women has warned about a growing network of online communities known collectively as the "manosphere" is emerging as a serious threat to gender equality.

What is Manosphere?

• Definition: The manosphere encompasses online communities promoting narrow, aggressive definitions of masculinity and the false narrative that feminism has harmed men's rights. 
  • These communities equate male worth with emotional control, material wealth, physical appearance, and dominance over women.
• Purpose: Rooted in misogyny & anti-feminist rhetoric, the manosphere weaponizes digital platforms to spread hate, sexist ideologies, and reinforce deep gender bias.

Causes of rise of Manosphere

• Increased access to internet: It has in turn enabled access to social media and various manosphere influencers online.
  • Total internet subscribers, in India, increased from 251 million in 2014 to 954 million in March 2024.
• Manosphere influencers: Self-proclaimed lifestyle coaches attract young men by teaching personal responsibility while claiming men are victims of society's misandry (prejudice against men).
• Algorithm influence: "Watch next" algorithms recommend increasingly sexist and anti-feminist content such as AWALT: "All women are like that" ideology.
• Insecurities and validation needs: Social isolation due to nuclear families and individualism and desire for belonging drive young men toward the manosphere seeking support and validation. 
• Growing conservatism: UN Women studies show younger men hold more stereotypical gender views than older men. 
• Digital anonymity: Reduces social and legal consequences, enabling easier spread of misogyny and hatred. 

Negative impacts of the manosphere

• Increased misogyny: Degrades gender equality. According to Movember Foundation, a men's right group; found two-thirds of young men regularly engage with masculinity influencers online.
  • For example, Gamergate was a harassment campaign in which female gamers were targeted by men.
• Normalized violence: Extreme manosphere language normalizes violence against women and girls, with growing links to radicalization and extremist ideologies. 
• Societal harm: Gender inequality hurts both men and women. Men with restrictive gender attitudes are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, substance abuse, depression, and suicidal thoughts. 
• Men's health impacts: Movember's survey shows manosphere exposure reduces confidence in men, leading to feelings of worthlessness and nervousness, risky supplement use, working out despite injury, and decreased mental health prioritization. 
• Reversing gender equality: Manosphere stereotypes promote myths that hold women back. 
• Online violence risks: Studies show 16-58% of women and girls face online violence. Cyber violence exploits digital platform anonymity and reach.

Existing mechanisms to tackle manosphere 

• World
  • Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995): Calls for balanced & non-stereotypical portrayals of women in media, including digital spaces.
  • UN Women: Has adopted multi-pronged approach which includes Research and data collection on the spread and impact of online hate.
  • 'Making All Spaces Safe' Initiative (UNFPA): To combat technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
  • EU's Digital Services Act: Prohibits misogynistic & gender-based hate content on digital platforms.
• India
  • Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986: Outlaws indecent/derogatory portrayal of women in digital media.
  • IT Rules, 2021:  Requires social media to remove objectionable content within 24 hours of complaint.
  • Digital shakti: By The National Commission for Women (NCW) for digitally empowering women & girls in cyberspace.
  • Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008: Addresses emerging cybercrimes against women such as Section 67A which is critical in cases involving digital abuse.
  • Section 75, 78, 79, of the BNS: Online Harassment and Cyber Bullying against women is crime under Bhartiya Nyaya Samhita.

Way Forward

• Legal measures: Such as Online Safety Act of UK; where sites and apps must also protect children and women from harmful material, including some hateful and abuse misogynistic content.
• Education as Prevention: Promoting media literacy including understanding how people navigate their online worlds and their interactions with potentially harmful content.
• A rights-based response suggested by UN Women: Steps including Support for survivors of online abuse, Youth-focused programming aimed at building digital resilience and promoting gender equality.
• Promoting anti-manosphere content creators: Reddit forums and creators such as HeForShe support men leaving the manosphere.