Trigger Warning: Mentions of sexual violence, child sexual abuse, and domestic violence
Asked if she thinks the boys around her respect women, Aaira, a 15-year-old student from Hyderabad, says, โMaybe the women in their families, but not other women or girls. They donโt respect their friends or classmates.โ
Children have increasing access to the internet and to a variety of online spaces. Often, this access comes with little parental monitoring or regulation. However, the impact of such unsupervised internet use on the gender perceptions of boys and young men needs to be urgently acknowledged and addressed. We do not only face the prospect of a generation of boys internalising violent misogyny and patriarchal rhetoric, but we also face the prospect of failing a generation of women and girls who are going to be the recipients of the prejudice and violence that stems from this.
How do digital spaces shape ideas about gender?
Indian society and culture are deeply patriarchal. Children grow up witnessing rigid gender roles and various manifestations of everyday misogyny.ย Further, they are also conditioned and socialised from a young age to adhere to patriarchal gender expectations and perform gender. When social media and digital spaces introduce children to more misogyny, it reinforces patriarchal and misogynistic notions and legitimises them in their minds.
Source: FII
Speaking to FII, Nitya Sethi, a Hyderabad-based psychologist, said, โChildren develop gender schemas (cognitive frameworks on what it means to be male or female) through observation, modelling, and reinforcement from their immediate environment. However, by serving as a hypersalient socialising agent, the internet has upset this environment.โ
She further added, โThe digital environment narrows a childโs exposure to varied ideas. Unlike a physical playground, where social feedback is varied, internet platforms can bombard a developing brain with inflexible, polarised gender stereotypes. And gender is then perceived as a strict, performative hierarchy rather than a spectrum or a collection of individual characteristics.โ
Alma Kunjumon, a Delhi-based counselling psychologist, further explained, โI have increasingly encountered students, particularly boys, who echo patriarchal and misogynistic ideas they have absorbed online. These attitudes often emerge subtly at first: dismissive tones toward female teachers, refusal to follow instructions from women in authority positions, or laughing off sexist jokes as โnormalโ.โ
The manosphere: the gateway to misogyny for young boys
Dev*, 16, estimates that 80 to 95 per cent of the boys his age know of Andrew Tate or have consumed his content, calling the British-American influencer โvery popularโ among Indian youth. He recalls the first time he came across Tateโs content at 14 or 15, it was shown to him by the algorithm while browsing Instagram.
He recalls the first time he came across Tateโs content at 14 or 15, it was shown to him by the algorithm while browsing Instagram.
The manosphere is perhaps the singular greatest threat when it comes to introducing and reinforcing misogyny for boys and young men. The manosphere consists of online communities, websites, and forums that take a staunchly anti-feminist position, promoting toxic and hypermasculine ideals and perpetuating misogyny.
Source: FII
Menโs rights activists (MRAs) and incels (involuntary celibates) are a few of the numerous subgroups that exist within the larger manosphere ecosystem. Popular misogynistic influencers, such as Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson, are also fixtures of the manosphere.
Andrew, an 18-year-old student, tells me, โI am a part of the better side of it [the manosphere], which focuses on mental health, fostering healthy relationships, and financial advice. I vehemently reject the misogynistic parts of it.โ However, he further adds, โI donโt believe that women are in a lower stratum than men, but I have this sense of superiority that as a male, I have to be better than women. I know itโs wrong, but this notion was developed over my teenage years and because of social conditioning (especially from films).โ
When I asked him what role the internet played in him holding these beliefs today, he said, โDigital spaces such as X and Reddit sometimes exposed me to male chauvinistic posts or posts related to โsigma male mindsetโ which did amplify these ideas. I was introduced to the term โsigma maleโ through the internet (Instagram and YouTube), which glorified Patrick Bateman [the protagonist of the 2000 Hollywood film American Psycho] as a model for masculinity.โ
The influence the manosphere has on impressionable young boys is often underdiscussed and lost in the overblown panic over screen times and moralistic handwringing over pornography. However, the potential for harm that the manosphere holds is mammoth. Nasreena, a Bangalore-based school counsellor, told FII, โI have seen several boys who are influenced by misogynistic online figures like Andrew Tate. Their language, attitudes toward women, and ideas about masculinity often reflect the content they consume on these platforms.โ
YouTube, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Reddit can all serve as major gateways for interactions with the manosphere. On YouTube, content by manosphere influencers like Tate and Peterson is easy to access, as is content from other misogynistic creators. โDating adviceโ given out by creators like Sarthak Goel and Dev Tyagi promotes toxic and hyper-masculine ideas to โattract womenโ.
โDating adviceโ given out by creators like Sarthak Goel and Dev Tyagi promotes toxic and hyper-masculine ideas to โattract womenโ.
While these YouTube creators promote hypermasculinity for womenโs attention, on the flip side, Reddit often hosts young men who embody toxic masculinity and whose hostility towards women is palpable. Even subreddits that appear seemingly benign at first glance, such as r/onexindia and r/indianmemer, can be violently misogynistic. X (formerly Twitter) is also home to such intense misogyny, where women are routinely sexualised, objectified, shamed, and dehumanised.
Posts from r/onexindia and r/indianmemer subredditsPosts from r/onexindia and r/indianmemer subredditsPosts from r/onexindia and r/indianmemer subredditsPosts from r/onexindia and r/indianmemer subreddits
Itโs not so much that the manosphere and these digital spaces are the first introduction to misogyny for children, but this content reinforces the misogyny which surrounds them, and which they grow up witnessing. Highlighting one such instance, Kunjumon says, โOne instance that stands out involved a student who openly challenged every directive given by his female teachers, stating that โwomen donโt know betterโ. During counselling, he admitted that at home, female family members were treated as subordinate to men, and the digital content he consumed reinforced the same worldview. For him, online influencers who trivialised womenโs voices became a source of validation, normalising behaviours he saw both online and offline.โ
Misogynistic tweets from XMisogynistic tweets from XMisogynistic tweets from X
Talking to FII, Pari Sharma, a college student, said of such online misogyny, โNow you have these Instagram reels that say things like โmy girlfriend or wife should only be mineโ or that โwomen in relationships shouldnโt have any men around themโ. These boys then expect that their partners should not interact with anyone.โ She further adds, โI have known of boys who watched Andrew Tateโs content and changed; they think they are the dominant partner in the relationship.โ When asked how the proliferation of this content makes her feel as a young woman, Sharma said, โIt makes me angry.โ
Violent misogyny is inescapable online
When considering what constitutes โviolent misogynyโ on the internet, pornography likely comes to mind. However, the issue runs a lot deeper. The debate regarding whether consumption of pornography leads to an increase in sexual violence has long been had. Research into this, however, has often been inconclusive, and experts are often split in their opinion.
However, pornography in itself is not the issue. A bulk of the pornography that exists in the mainstream is often violent and objectifies women. While consumption of violent pornography may or may not have an impact on criminality, itโs not a stretch of the imagination that it can affect how boys and young men view women. Women in these videos are often objectified and demeaned, and sexual acts are often done โtoโ them, rather than โwithโ them.
However, the consumption of violent videos depicting real-life sexual violence, which is often available online and marketed as run-of-the-mill pornography, is where the problem lies. In 2016, Al Jazeera reported that in Uttar Pradeshโs Meerut, videos of real instances of sexual violence were available for sale for amounts ranging from INR 20 to 200. It further noted that once these videos were publicly available on the market, they spread to other parts of the country through the internet.
In 2016, Al Jazeera reported that in Uttar Pradeshโs Meerut, videos of real instances of sexual violence were available for sale for amounts ranging from INR 20 to 200.
In 2018, the BBC spoke to boys and young men in a Patna village, which was the site of a sexual assault, the recording of which was widely circulated online via WhatsApp. A 16-year-old boy admitted to the reporters that he had watched over 25 videos of sexual assault and rape, which were shared by his friends. Another boy told the publication, โMost boys in my class watch these videos together or sometimes by themselves. It feels fine because everyone does it.โ
Although it is essential to understand that this does not establish a causal relationship between viewing pornography and committing sexual violence. What it does instead is set a template for impressionable kids in which sexual violence and disregard for consent are normalised, especially in the absence of any sex education or education regarding consent.
However, violent content on the internet is not limited to pornography; itโs present everywhere. There are entire X accounts dedicated to talking about women in violent, dehumanising ways; Instagram reels that joke about domestic violence; and online spaces where violence against women is played off as banter.
Screenshots from X and Instagram featuring content glorifying domestic violenceScreenshots from X and Instagram featuring content glorifying domestic violence
In 2019, news broke of the โbois locker roomโ. An Instagram group whose members were teenage boys from Delhi schools. In this group, they shared pictures and videos of women and girls without their consent, spoke of them in dehumanising ways, and even discussed ways to gangrape women and girls.
Further, there are numerous Instagram pages, such as @hiddenclips_family and @candidclipszone, that share sexualised, non-consensual pictures of women to a massive viewing of thousands of followers. These pictures, often clicked by men, of women in their families, are sent to these pages to be featured. Some of these accounts also sell โpremium subscriptionsโ.
โPremium subscriptionsโ sold by these Instagram accounts
I messaged two such accounts, @hiddenclips_family (42,000 followers) and @candidz_ferrari (29,000 followers), on Instagram from a dummy account, asking if these accounts would feature non-consensually shot videos of women. Both agreed to do so. Suspecting @hiddenclips_family of featuring media of minors in the past, I further asked if the account would be willing to post non-consensually shot videos of a 16-year-old minor, upon which the person behind the account said โlet me seeโ, essentially asking to see non-consensual material involving a minor.
The prospect of real-life bullying and violence
However, can the misogynistic beliefs that are shaped online translate into real-life harassment and violence? Kunjumon believes it can. She says, โMisogynistic beliefs rarely remain theoretical; they often translate into behaviours that compromise the emotional and physical safety of female students.โ
Aaira recounts a recent experience of online bullying by her peers. She tells FII,โA picture I had posted online was recreated and shared online, publicly, alongside my original photo, where my face was visible. I was speechless. We were close friends.โ Speaking of other instances of bullying sheโs witnessed, Aaira says that the targets of โplannedโ bullying attempts in her class are always girls.
Speaking of other instances of bullying sheโs witnessed, Aaira says that the targets of โplannedโ bullying attempts in her class are always girls.
However, Gayatri Devi, the vice principal of a private school, tells of more extreme instances: โThere have been cases where boys have unzipped their trousers in class and flashed classmates, talked about their genitals, talked about girlsโ or womenโs bodies in inappropriate ways, or attempted to inappropriately touch others.โ
Asked if she has seen things of this nature before in her 20-year career, she says, โBefore the pandemic, we would come across minor issues. Nothing that would qualify as sexual harassment. There might have been a few such cases, but I have personally never come across anything like that before. However, these days, every other day, right from Grade IV to Grade X, we come across things of this nature.โ
Source: FII
When asked if she thinks misogynistic attitudes among young boys might translate to real-life violence, Gayatri Devi said, โItโs 100 per cent a risk. Children cannot be monitored completely, no matter what measures we take. Iโll give you an example. There was a 10-year-old student who would make his 5-year-old sister sit in his lap during the bus ride to and from school, and he was touching her inappropriately. Itโs not about what happens within the school premises alone. The girl in this case was his sister; the parents would have left the children alone at home. And this behaviour can certainly extend towards other children as well.โ
Sethi notes, โWe are seeing a โbleed-overโ effect, where online hostility manifests as real-world harassment, driven by a desire for peer validation within these toxic digital subcultures.โ
The way forward
However, one thing was clear from my conversations with parents and educators โ they seemed to overestimate the risks pornography posed and underestimate the risks associated with the larger manosphere ecosystem. To mitigate digital risks, parents and educators must first be well-versed in the types of digital threats that exist and their nature and extent.
Arpitha G, the principal of Sadhu Vaswani International School in Hyderabad, told FII, โChildren know of various apps that parents are perhaps not aware of. Most parents are aware of WhatsApp and check their childโs activity on the app, but children have numerous other ways and means.โ
There are knowledge gaps among parents and educators that serve as a barrier in addressing the role online spaces play in informing misogynistic attitudes.
There are knowledge gaps among parents and educators that serve as a barrier in addressing the role online spaces play in informing misogynistic attitudes. Parents also seem to believe that their upbringing would inoculate their kids against online misogyny. However, Sethi says, โIt is erroneous to assume that โwell-behavedโ or high-functioning children are immune. Radicalisation exploits psychosocial vulnerabilities, not necessarily behavioural history.โ
Not just parent, but child literacy regarding online risks is critical as well. Nasreena recommends increased digital literacy for children, awareness programmes for parents, training teachers to identify concerning online influences, school-based counselling support, and open conversations about gender and respect.
Source: FII
Arpitha G also highlights the importance of creating healthy boundaries, rather than rigid, inviolable rules. She says, โThis is the digital era, parents should create norms around internet use, but shouldnโt lay down strict rules. That will not work with teenagers.โ
She also emphasises the importance of parents adopting healthy digital and phone use habits themselves because children will emulate what they see in their immediate environment. Furthermore noting the importance of not rewarding children with digital gadgets and accessories, as this may unintentionally encourage excessive screen dependency.
Age verification to access some online content can also go a long way, as it can protect children from viewing violent and explicit sexual imagery, and especially shield them from sexual violence and CSA material. However, allied issues regarding data collection, processing, and disposal must be addressed by robust policy frameworks.
Most educators I spoke with for this article felt strongly that children should not have access to personal devices like cellphones until they are nearing adulthood.
Most educators I spoke with for this article felt strongly that children should not have access to personal devices like cellphones until they are nearing adulthood. Shared devices, especially desktops, allow for greater transparency and parental guidance in navigating the digital realm.
Comprehensive sex education in schools with an emphasis on consent and gendered dynamics is also essential. Moralistic panic over pornography consumption should make way for discourse surrounding healthy exploration of sexuality and addressing violent and non-consensual pornography. It is also critical to encourage open conversations and understanding regarding sex and sexuality, which will help children understand these themes beyond pornographyโs male, objectifying gaze, where consent is often absent.
Ultimately, addressing and challenging deeply entrenched socio-cultural misogyny will yield the largest gains. While this may be a tall order and a slow, gradual process, it is one worth committing to. Homes are often the first places where young children view and internalise misogyny. Then, to raise a generation of boys who donโt espouse violently misogynistic beliefs regarding women, we must first ensure that they donโt witness it in their own homes.
Source: FII
Fostering channels of open, healthy, and regular conversations regarding gender and respect is critical to addressing and remedying the misogyny that boys and young men learn online. Affirming this, Kunjumon states, โSilence leaves space for online influencers to fill the gaps.โ
*The names of some minors have been changed in this article to protect their privacy.
Authorโs Note: The minors quoted in this article were interviewed with their parentsโ consent. Parents were allowed to view the quotes before publication, and parental approval was sought and received. Some names of minors havenโt been changed because parents allowed the use of their childโs name; however, no surnames or additional identifying information have been used to protect their privacy.
The exchange with the Instagram accounts featuring non-consensual images was had using a dummy account that did not impersonate any real person. No images or videos in any form were shared with these accounts.
This article has been published under the Laadli Media Fellowship 2025. The opinions and views expressed are those of the author. Laadli and UNFPA do not necessarily endorse the views.
Akshita Prasad is a writer whose work primarily focuses on feminism,ย social and institutional justice,ย law and policy, politics, and pop culture.ย
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