Misogynistic influencers are trending right now. Defusing their message is a complex task



 CNN

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Andrew Tate, the professional fighter-turned media personality who earned the ire and admiration of millions with his viral rants about male dominance, female submission and wealth, is everywhere these days.


It doesn’t matter that the so-called “alpha-male” podcaster, who openly advocates violence against women, has been banned from every major social media platform, or that he was kicked off the TV show “Big Brother” for violent and hateful behavior and had his house raided as part of an ongoing human trafficking investigation (he told Fox News’ Tucker Carlson he was the victim of a swatting attempt).


His ideas have already taken root in the minds of countless young men who see him as a role model of masculinity. Before it was taken down, his TikTok account racked up about 11.6 billion views. Social media spaces dedicated to teaching have featured accounts of students as young as middle schoolers parroting his diatribes and harassing female classmates. Rashes of sexual harassment in schools in the UK and Australia have also been blamed on Tate’s influence.


He’s not the only one, either. So-called male supremacist views have surged on TikTok and podcasting platforms, with personalities ranting about the rights of “high value” or “hypermasculine” men – those that they define as wealthy, confident, influential, sexually dominant and entitled to subservience from women.


If left unchecked, human rights groups and policy experts can point to what typically comes next. There is a clear pipeline between misogynist content and larger channels of hate, documented by the Anti-Defamation League and similar groups. Such philosophies have also inspired a rising rate of deadly violence.


Combating this dangerous phenomenon requires muscle on multiple fronts. In the US and across the world, organizations are turning to technology and teaching methods to show young men and boys a better path. They’re also applying a more unexpected ingredient

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