Caveat – We wrote this article after reading a new April 2025 research study conducted by the Movember Institute of Men’s Health titled, “Young Men’s Health In A Digital World” that was brought to our attention by our friend in the UK, Richard Pomfrett. What makes this research different, they interviewed over 3000 young men between the ages of 16-25 years of age to get their perspective. (1)
As parents, caregivers, and teachers, it’s important to understand a growing trend, online masculinity influencers are no longer on the fringes, they’re becoming a major force in shaping how young men think about themselves and their place in the world.
Today’s youth and teen boys are growing up in a world of constant change, and adolescence has always been a challenging time. But now, many young men are facing higher levels of anxiety, loneliness, and risky behaviour, while also being bombarded by online voices promising easy answers and simple rules for how to be “a real man.”
These influencers offer certainty in an uncertain world. They share step-by-step guides to success, confidence, and relationships, and that can feel empowering to a young person looking for direction.
The new research from the Movember Institute of Men’s Health, (2) was based on insights from more than 3,000 young men, shows a complex picture. Many young men in this report say these influencers make them feel inspired, motivated, and more hopeful about their future. However, at the same time, this research shows that these same young men report high levels of stress, emotional struggle, and risky health behaviours.
So what can we do as parents, caregivers and educators? We don’t need to shut down the conversation. However, we do need to reshape it, and here are some of our thoughts on how to do this based on what we read in this research:
- One of the most powerful things we can do for the young men in our lives is to expand what it actually means to “be a man.” Too often, online influencers promote narrow, outdated, or even harmful stereotypes of masculinity, ones that focus on dominance, emotional suppression, and external success. But masculinity doesn’t have to fit into one box. We need to help young men see that there are many healthy, authentic ways to be masculine, ways that include vulnerability, compassion, cooperation, and emotional intelligence. By encouraging more diverse and inclusive representations of masculinity in the media they consume, and modelling those values in our own homes, we can help them form an identity that’s grounded in confidence and well-being, not fear or pressure to conform.
- Young people today are very well connected online, but that doesn’t mean they’re automatically savvy about what they’re seeing online. That’s why media literacy and emotional education are more important than ever. We need to give youth and teen boys the tools to ask critical questions about the content they consume such as; Who is creating this message? What’s the motive behind it? Is it promoting a healthy worldview, or exploiting insecurity? At the same time, helping teen boys recognize and manage their emotions is key to navigating the often-intense feelings that come with adolescence. When we combine media literacy with critical thinking and emotional intelligence, we empower boys to be active, informed participants in today’s onlife world, not just passive consumers.
- Too often, decisions about youth and teen mental health, online safety, and education are made without hearing from the young men themselves. If we want to support their well-being, we need to include them in conversations that affect their lives, this is why we loved reading this report, because that it what they did. That means involving youth in shaping policies, encouraging social media platforms to be more transparent and responsive to their needs, and holding tech companies accountable for how algorithms influence what young people see. When young men feel that their perspectives matter and their concerns are taken seriously, they are more likely to engage, speak up, and take ownership of their own well-being.
- We can’t support young men if we don’t meet them in the spaces they already inhabit. Today, that means showing up in digital environments that they frequent such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and gaming platforms, with content that’s designed to support their mental health and personal growth. This isn’t about preaching or fear-based messaging. It’s about creating relatable, strength-based resources that speak their language, highlight positive role models, and offer real strategies for coping, connecting, and thriving. When we provide credible, youth-friendly voices in the same spaces where masculinity influencers are gaining traction, we offer an alternative that’s both empowering and constructive.
The rise of masculinity influencers is not just a trend, it’s a reflection of a deeper need that many youth and teens are experiencing today which is the need for guidance, identity, and a sense of belonging in a rapidly changing world. As parents, caregivers, and educators, we can’t afford to ignore the powerful role these online figures play in shaping how boys see themselves and what they believe it means to be a man.
We also shouldn’t respond with fear or attempts to shut the conversation down. Instead, we need to step into this space with understanding, compassion, and action. This means broadening the definition of masculinity to include empathy, emotional honesty, and personal integrity. It means giving boys the tools to think critically about what they see online, helping them build resilience and emotional intelligence. It means listening to them, truly listening, and making sure their voices are represented in the systems and policies that affect them. It means showing up in the digital spaces they already inhabit, offering supportive, relatable, and healthy alternatives that speak to their realities.
As parents, caregivers, and educators , our job isn’t to shield young men from the world, it’s to help them navigate it with clarity, confidence, and care. When we combine love, structure, and education, we can help ensure they aren’t just surviving adolescence, but thriving through it. Let’s work together to make sure the messages our boys are receiving, both online and offline, are ones that build them up, not break them down. When we support their mental health, we support their future. And that benefits everyone.
This isn’t just about countering the negative, it’s about offering young men something better. Something real. And it starts with us.
Digital Food For Thought
Th White Hatter
Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech
References:
1/ https://cdn.sanity.io/files/d6x1mtv1/mo-com-production/2468e856e0806090ead9a3e49b53972496eaa971.pdf
