Online masculinist discourse: a challenge for the protection of minors

29 January 2026

When platforms amplify sexist discourse, the very construction of young people is at stake.

At a time when masculinist discourse is gaining ground in the public arena, its widespread dissemination among young people via digital platforms represents a major challenge for the protection of minors and equality. In the light of the last report of the Haut Conseil à l'Égalité, and based on our experience in the field, we are alerting you to a systemic phenomenon that can no longer be treated as a marginal drift.

📊 What the HCE report says

The latest High Council for Equality highlights a worrying reality: hostile sexism is not declining and anti-feminist beliefs are on the rise.

39 % of men now believe that feminism threatens men's place in society. This figure does not refer to a marginal opinion, but to a a sufficiently broad ideological base to structure narratives, communities and behaviours.

The HCE also shows that these representations are part of a ideological continuum, This is supported by masculinist currents that challenge equality policies and reinterpret them as forms of discrimination against men.

What we observe in the field

In our prevention initiatives, but also through our role as trusted signaler, we can see that these ideologies have been trivialized to the point of permeating the language and representations of some teenagers, Even in schools.

Young people today are evolving in digital environments - social networks, streaming platforms, online games - that structure their socialisation. While they can be spaces of creativity and connection, they are also places where toxic behaviour is normalised sexism, hatred and harassment, often presented as humour or competition.

These areas are governed by the’attention economy The algorithms favour the most polarising, emotional or provocative content. Masculinist discourse fits perfectly into this viral logic.

An influence industry that captures the vulnerabilities of young people

Influencers and creators of masculinist content have mastered the codes of the platforms perfectly. They use attractive and viral formats to disseminate anti-feminist narratives and sexist stereotypes which are becoming commonplace in the flow of teenagers.

This exhibition is taking place at a key age, marked by a number of fragile identities. In search of reference points, recognition and role models, young people turn to these online figures who transform their doubts into discourses of domination.

The economy of influence has led to the emergence of new male models that directly affect minors, in the spaces they frequent on a daily basis.

⚖️ What the Digital Services Act (DSA) allows

The European regulation on digital services imposes an obligation on platforms to prevention and reduction of systemic risks, particularly when their recommendation systems contribute to the distribution of harmful content.

It provides for :

the’assessing the risks associated with algorithms (amplification of hateful, sexist or violent content),
of transparency requirements on design and configuration choices,
and the possibility for European Commission to open investigations in the event of a breach.

Article 23 of the DSA also makes it possible to suspend accounts repeatedly disseminating content that is clearly illegal or part of a strategy to cause harm. This lever is essential for dealing with the organised dynamics of the dissemination of sexist discourse.

A response that must be as educational as it is regulatory

Regulating platforms is essential, but it won't be enough without massive reinforcement of educational levers.

Education in equality, critical thinking and emotional, relational and sexual life is an essential part of the school's curriculum. protective base in the face of rhetoric that exploits young people's vulnerabilities. These lessons need to be updated, coordinated and backed up by the expertise of professionals in the field.

Giving children, teenagers and those around them the tools to identify, understand and deconstruct these stories is a key prevention issue.

Protecting minors to promote equality

Combating masculinist discourse means protecting minors exposed from an early age to norms that have a lasting impact on the way they view gender relations.

It is also an essential condition for putting equality into practice in a digital space that has become central to the development of young people.