LONDON: English schools will begin teaching students how to recognise and resist misogynistic content online, the UK government said on Tuesday (Jul 15), in response to growing concerns over the influence of so-called manosphere figures like Andrew Tate.
The new lessons, aimed at children aged 11 to 18, will cover topics such as ‘incel’ (involuntary celibate) culture, the link between pornography and misogyny, and the dangers posed by AI-generated deepfake content.
COMBATING TOXIC ONLINE INFLUENCES
The UK’s Department for Education said misogynistic attitudes had reached “epidemic scale” among young people, fuelled by internet influencers and harmful online communities.
“I want our children to be equipped to defy the malign forces that exist online,” said Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. “Schools and parents alike have a vital role to play, helping children identify positive role models and resist the manipulation too often used online to groom impressionable young minds.”
The announcement follows the release of the Netflix drama Adolescence, which sparked national debate earlier this year for its depiction of toxic online influences on boys. The show centres on a radicalised 13-year-old boy who commits murder after being drawn into online incel culture.
