The Manosphere: A Parent’s Guide to Protecting Boys Online
You’re sitting at the dinner table with your son, who’s glued to his phone, headphones on. What’s he watching? A TikTok? A gaming stream? Maybe he’s listening to a podcast? But what if it’s more than entertainment? What if it’s shaping how he sees the world—and himself?
Let us introduce you to the manosphere: a web of digital communities and social media personalities creating content targeted at young men. While some of it offers positive self-improvement advice, much of it promotes toxic ideas about gender and power.
As a parent, how can you recognize the warning signs and guide your son toward healthier content? Let’s start with getting a deeper understanding of what the manosphere actually is.
What Is the Manosphere, and Why Should I Be Concerned?
The manosphere presents itself as a self-help space for boys. At first glance, it might seem harmless—a place to build confidence and seek advice. But digging deeper, you’ll find much of this content promotes harmful ideas: toxic masculinity, misogyny, and rigid stereotypes that negatively influence how boys see themselves and interact with the world around them.
Popular influencers like Andrew Tate and Nick Fuentes use platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and podcasts to attract young men. They target the vulnerable and position themselves as mentors while planting seeds of distrust toward women and pushing dominance as a measure of self-worth.
A key concept to know here is Red Pilling/Blue Pilling, a term borrowed from The Matrix. “Red pilling” claims to expose hidden “truths” about society and relationships, and is often grounded in anti-feminist discourse, while “Blue pilling” refers to choosing to ignore these so-called truths and blindly follow the mainstream herd.
How Can I Spot Red Flags in My Child’s Online Behaviour?
Staying informed is one of the most effective ways to protect your son. To start us off, here are some common red flags to look out for:
Changes in language: If your son starts using terminology like “alpha’, “red-pilled”, or calling women “females”, it could be a sign he’s consuming manosphere content.
Problematic influencers: Pay attention to the creators he follows on TikTok, YouTube, or podcasts he regularly listens to. Are they promoting divisive or harmful messages?
Algorithmic exposure: Even if your son isn’t actively searching for this type of content, social media algorithms can still show violent or misogynistic videos; this has been found to be especially true for boys’ feeds.
While these rabbit holes can be subtle, they stick with boys and can have a lasting effect on how they see themselves and others.
How Can I Protect My Son from the Manosphere?
Early action is crucial; Here are a few easy first steps you can take:
Ask simple questions like, “Who are some of your favourite creators? What do you like about their content?” This can help you better understand what your son is drawn to and open the door for further conversations.
Learn together: Explore educational resources, like ExEd’s guides, to kickstart conversations on consent, boundaries, and respectful communication, on and offline.
Highlight positive role models: Introduce your son to creators who model healthy masculinity and respect.
Be a positive role model yourself: Show your son what emotional intelligence and respect can look like in everyday life.
These are just a few ways to start you off. For more online safety tips for parents, get our free resource, The Parent’s Action Plan: Protecting Boys in the Digital Age when you sign up for our email list, at the bottom of this page . This checklist includes:
A red flags checklist: How to know if your son is being influenced by manosphere content
Conversation starters for each age group
By taking proactive steps, you aren’t just protecting your son from harmful content—you’re equipping him with the confidence to explore the internet safely.
The Path Ahead
You’re not alone when it comes to safely navigating the digital world with your kids. At Exploitation Education, we’re here to help you every step of the way with resources, tools and support your family needs.
Together, we can raise a generation of confident, empathetic young men. Start the conversation by getting our free guide, when you sign up for our newsletter below, and take those first steps today.
