Raising a child in the fast-paced digital age can feel overwhelming, especially as technology continues to evolve at lightning speed, offering instant access to the world with just a few clicks.
While the internet brings countless benefits—connecting us, providing information, and offering endless entertainment—it also introduces new challenges for parents to navigate.
Parenting in the ever-evolving 21st century can be daunting, as technology advances rapidly and the world is accessible with just a few taps.
The internet offers incredible advantages—enabling us to connect, communicate, and consume information faster than ever before.
However, younger generations are especially vulnerable to radicalization, as their impressionable nature makes them more susceptible to external influence.
With new threats constantly emerging online, many children remain unaware of the potential dangers that come with using social media.
The Netflix drama Adolescence delves into the troubling influence of ‘manosphere’ and ‘red pill’ content on today’s youth.
This growing wave of online content often glorifies extreme masculinity, promotes misogyny, and pushes anti-feminist rhetoric—frequently overlapping with far-right ideologies and the incel movement.
Incels, short for “involuntary celibates,” are men who believe that women and society are to blame for their lack of romantic or sexual relationships. They argue that women hold too much power in these spheres and, in the most extreme cases, incite violence against women and girls—making them one of the most dangerous factions within the manosphere.
Adolescence follows the chilling story of a 13-year-old boy who is arrested for the murder of a classmate, shining a light on the dark consequences of online radicalization.
In the series, the influence of prominent manosphere figure Andrew Tate is briefly addressed.
According to the BBC, schools have reported a rise in students as young as 11 and 13 using sexist language popularized by online influencers like Tate.
Adolescence also highlights how children are using emojis as coded language to communicate these ideas. In one scene, a character explains: “The red pill is like, ‘I see the truth.’ It’s a call to action from the manosphere.”
Dr. Robert Lawson, a sociolinguistics expert at Birmingham City University, told The Conversation that the concept of the “red pill” originates from the sci-fi film The Matrix—a symbol that has since been co-opted by the manosphere to represent awakening to so-called hidden truths about gender dynamics.
