Algorithms, accountability and the 'manosphere'—empowering men to be the solution

Algorithms, accountability and the 'manosphere'—empowering men to be the solution

From Conversations by ABC Australia

June 10, 2026 · 53 min

About this episode

Zac Seidler discusses the impact of inflammatory online content on young men and how to promote a healthier version of masculinity.

Clinical psychologist and men's mental health researcher Zac Seidler on how boys are being fed increasingly inflammatory content online, and what men can do IRL to offer a version of masculinity that is healthy and vulnerable, instead of hard and dangerous. Many young men are taking a journey on the internet right now which starts with inoffensive self-improvement videos on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, but quickly becomes something else entirely. Young guys are searching the internet for fitness, grooming or relationship advice, looking for self-esteem and self-discipline. The algorithm then tries to sustain their attention by offering them more inflammatory and more dangerous content, presented by influencers with cigars and sunglasses, who give them an ideology that blames women for all of their problems. This is the loose digital ecosystem that has been named the 'manosphere', and it's leading people to wonder what exactly is going on with men that they're being drawn into a dark place and ideology that completely alienates them from women and from real life experience. Zac Seidler is a clinical psychologist and the director of research at Movember, the men's mental…

People in this episode

Guest: Zac Seidler

Topics covered

  • men's mental health
  • online content
  • masculinity
  • self-improvement
  • manosphere

Keywords

  • men's issues
  • mental health
  • online algorithms
  • self-esteem
  • toxic masculinity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Movember, ABC Australia

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