Manosphere Harms to Men’s Health Prompt Call
Researchers urge treating online male-focused communities as a public health concern affecting men and boys worldwide.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Men’s Health
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Researchers writing in The Lancet medical journal have called for the online "manosphere" to be treated as a public health issue, citing harms to men's mental health and violence against women. The report, published October 30, 2026, is relevant to men and boys worldwide who encounter these online communities.
Why it matters
The authors argue that the manosphere delegitimises men and boys who seek help, which can discourage them from accessing care for mental health concerns. Framing the issue as a public health problem, rather than only a content or regulatory matter, opens additional policy options such as skills, employment, and mental health service access.
This is a Lancet report rather than a trial, so it does not provide a new effect size or sample. It defines the manosphere as online communities united by shared beliefs about masculinity, misogyny, and male victimisation, and describes its links to men's mental health and violence against women.
The players
Prof Dr Sarah J. Hawkes
Co-author and head of the Global Population Health Department at Monash University Malaysia, and an honorary professor at University College London.
Dr Kent Buse
Co-author and health policy professor at Monash University Malaysia.
The Lancet
A leading international medical journal that publishes peer-reviewed research and commentary on global health policy.
The details
The report says the manosphere uses a playbook resembling the tobacco industry's, blaming individuals and framing regulation as an attack on freedom. It also describes manosphere messaging that pushes boys and men toward financial schemes and unregulated supplements and hormones. The authors argue that treating this as a public health issue allows policymakers to pursue levers beyond regulation alone.
Timeline
The report was published in The Lancet on October 30, 2026.
A related article on the report appeared on thestar.com.my on November 9, 2026.
Health Landscape
The report draws a direct parallel to the tobacco industry's playbook, which blamed individuals and cast regulation as an infringement on freedom. Public health approaches to tobacco have historically combined regulation with broader population-level interventions, and the authors extend that model to online male-focused communities.
If you or someone you know is drawn to online communities promoting masculinity-focused advice, it is worth being cautious about offers involving financial schemes, unregulated supplements, or hormones. Concerns about mood, stress, or mental health are worth raising with a clinician rather than an online community, and a doctor can help weigh options.
The takeaway
Treating harmful online messaging as a public health issue shifts attention toward men's access to mental health care and reliable information. Men who are weighing supplements or hormones should discuss them with a physician before starting anything.
Further reading
For broader context on the health issues facing men, explore our Men’s Health coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Star.
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