The foiled attack in Saint-Étienne on 1 July reveals a chilling new facet of online radicalisation. An 18-year-old teenager, influenced by the masculinist rhetoric of the «incel» movement (short for ’involuntarily celibate»), was planning a knife attack. He has been charged with criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism. This is historic in France: it is the first time that the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) has been called upon to investigate acts motivated exclusively by hatred of women.
Sexist ideology at the heart of digital platforms
Social media and private forums have become breeding grounds for anti-feminist hate. They spread misogynistic rhetoric, promote violent masculinity, and humiliate women, blaming them for men's unhappiness.
The leading figures of this ideology, such as American “influencer” Andrew Tate, accused of rape and sex trafficking, have millions of views explaining how to manipulate, control and exploit women for sexual or domination purposes.
Algorithms greatly reinforce this exposure. The University of Iowa has demonstrated that automatic recommendations quickly lead to increasingly radical content. The result: Teenagers, searching for meaning, find themselves indoctrinated by deeply misogynistic hate speech, to the point of going beyond the virtual world.
A worrying ideological divide
The High Council for Equality warns that a gap is widening between teenage boys and girls. While young girls are increasingly embracing feminist values, a growing number of young boys are developing masculinist beliefs. In 2025, 52% of young men believe that «men are being targeted».
The risk: seeing an increase in such acts. Because this phenomenon is not limited to France; it is a universal threat. Toronto, California, Plymouth... Masculinist attacks are increasing and becoming more similar : targeted hatred towards women, production of manifestos, radicalisation amplified by digital platforms and, very often, the commission of an act. A mechanism that is every bit as effective as political or religious terrorism.
The need for a coordinated and cross-cutting response
Masculinist ideology kills. It is a form of ideological terrorism. To combat it effectively, the e-Enfance/3018 Association calls for:
- Require digital platforms to strengthen moderation of masculinist content
- Strengthen regulation of content that clearly incites hatred towards women
- Raise awareness among children and teenagers about the responsible use of digital technology, as the staff at the e-Enfance Association do every day / 3018
We can no longer consider online sexism as simply a «debate of ideas». It is a vehicle for real, sometimes deadly, violence.
