From 'himfluencers' to toxic masculinity: How social media is shaping young men

Article here. Excerpt:

'According to a new report from Australia's eSafety Commissioner, the internet can be a place of tensions, complexities and possibilities for young men.

The research examined the online experiences of young men in Australia aged 16 to 21 years old and explored how they express their identities, explore sexuality, and navigate social connections online.

Researchers said ideas about gender can both empower and limit young men, and those who strive to enact masculine stereotypes can end up harming themselves and others.

eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said positive and diverse role models are needed as a small number of harmful voices are dominating conversations about masculinity.

"There's constant pressure for young men to conform to particular, often narrow and traditional, ideals about manhood," she said.

The report found Andrew Tate, a social media personality and self-described misogynist, continues to be a key figure in many young men's worlds, and engaging with this content is a central way in which some young men are shaping their identities.

Tate creates content based on male empowerment and being an 'alpha male', and promotes stereotypical ideas around gender roles and masculinity.

Federal Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said young men are facing an online wave of influencing behaviours, including from harmful content.

She said it was important to balance masculine behaviours and perceptions of manhood.

"It's not easy and I'm not going to pretend it is, but it's another front that we have to confront and respond to," Gallagher said.'