The Huffington Post
There’s been growing concern for some time now over the popularity of manosphere content, particularly among young boys who might not necessarily question what they’re viewing. The manosphere is “a collection of websites, social media accounts and forums dedicated to men’s issues, from health and fitness to dating and men’s rights”, says Robert Lawson, an expert in sociolinguistics at Birmingham City University. Yet it’s increasingly become associated with anti-women and anti-feminist sentiments. The impact of this kind of content is worrying – and parents and teachers are seeing it trickle down to school-age children . In fact, most primary and secondary school teachers are now “extremely concerned” about the influence of online misogyny on children and young people. Parents fear it, too. New research from EE found over three-quarters (77%) admit they’re concerned about the influence of online content on their son’s attitude or behaviour. Two fifths (42%) said they’ve heard their sons use language or phrases they didn’t recognise, but believed may have come from negative online sources. Not only can this kind of content impact the mental health of boys and men, according to UN Women , but it amplifies harmful sexist stereotypes, teaches dangerous social and dating behaviour, and makes both digital and real-life spaces more hostile for women and girls. For parents, it can be hard to know how to tackle the issue – especially as much of the content promoting these harmful views is online and it’s hard to monitor teens’ internet use. Experts have also suggested the longer kids are spending online, the more likely they’re coming across misogynistic content. EE’s survey, conducted in partnership with Professor Ben Hine, found over half (54%) of parents haven’t sought guidance for talking about the online content their son’s consume because they feel out of their depth, yet 80% would welcome more practical support and advice on having these conversations. Just this week, the London Assembly published a guide suggesting that a ‘N.O.I.S.E. check’ might be a good place to start to help boys think critically about what they’re viewing online. What is the N.O.I.S.E. check? It’s a conversation tool parents can use to help teenagers “recognise patterns, reflect on how content makes them feel and build resilience to manipulative messaging”. Parents are urged to look over content with their teen and then work through the following prompts. N (negative): Ask them whether the content they’ve just watched leaves them feeling worse (ie. triggering strong negative emotions)? This could be anger or shame, or not feeling “good enough”. You could ask something like: “Do you think this creator wants viewers to feel upset or angry?” O (opposition): Ask whether the content frames women as the enemy. You could say, “Does this encourage conflict between men and women?” or “Is it blaming women for complicated problems?”. I (insecure): Talk to them about whether the content profits from insecurity – whether that’s around appearance, money, dating, status, confidence or masculinity. You could ask, “Does this make you feel like you’re not enough?” or “Who benefits if young men feel insecure?”. S (simplistic): Talk about whether the content is offering a simple answer to a complex issue. The advice sheet urges boys to “be cautious of creators who claim: there is only one way to be a man, one group is causing all men’s problems, they alone have the answers, [or] success or happiness can be achieved through one simple formula”. E (earning): Discuss who’s making money from their outrage? You can then talk about what the creator gains by keeping people watching, engaged and angry. The aim of the tool, per the London Assembly, is not to tell boys what to think, but to “help them notice when someone else is trying to do their thinking for them”. Parents have previously opened up about their sons being ‘red-pilled’ (influenced by misogynistic content) and have said teaching critical thinking was crucial to shifting the needle on these views. Related... 4 Manosphere-Coded Words Boys Are Using And What They Mean 'There Were Subtle Signs My Sons Were Being Swayed By The Manosphere' 'The Black Pill Has Morphed Into The Mainstream': Red Flags For Parents To Watch Out For
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