The government has tasked the Swedish Gender Equality Agency with investigating how boys and young men are affected by social media, video games, and digital communities. The assignment is based on the idea that young men are exposed to misogynistic messages, destructive male norms, and polarizing content, and it will be analyzed from a gender equality perspective. The assignment does not include a corresponding investigation of problematic values among girls and women.

In a new directive to the Gender Equality Agency, the government wants to map out how boys and young men are affected by content on social media and other digital environments. Special attention is paid to what is referred to in the press release as the “manosphere,” a term frequently used in left-feminist discourse to describe various online environments where topics like masculinity, relationships, and gender roles are discussed.

According to the government, such messages reach young men through open social media platforms, video services, forums, video games (gaming), and conversations associated with gaming communities.

The instruction specifies that the agency is to examine “in what ways and to what extent the life choices and life quality of boys and young men are influenced by the content they are exposed to on social media, from a gender equality perspective.”

Investigation with a Clear Focus on Norms and Values

The government’s description of the task starts from the assumption that boys and young men are influenced by content related to violence, misogyny, suicide, body image fixation, and contempt for mental health challenges. The press release also describes online misogyny as a phenomenon affecting relationships, attitudes toward equality, and the risk of violence.

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The initiative is led by Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson (L), who claims the study is carried out out of concern for young men, so they can grow up “free from misogynistic ideals, destructive male norms, and algorithms that spread hate and contempt.”

Minister for Social Affairs Jakob Forssmed (KD) supports this goal description, painting a picture where young men’s loneliness and mental health issues are a growing problem, which actors within the “manosphere” take advantage of.

Gaming Platforms and Communities to be Examined

Part of the assignment involves investigating what norms and expectations boys and young men encounter on social media, gaming platforms, and in various forums and discussion groups.

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Thus, the review encompasses not only traditional social media, but also environments connected to gaming and video games, which are collectively highlighted by the government as channels for the spread of the “destructive” messages targeted by the assignment.

Assignment Limited to Boys and Young Men

The investigation will also examine what expectations girls and young women may develop for boys and young men via social media. However, the assignment does not entail any corresponding review of possible destructive norms, values, or attitudes among girls and young women.

The directives are focused on mapping how boys and young men are affected by norms, messages, and environments that the government characterizes as problematic from a gender equality perspective.

READ ALSO: SD Politician: Shut down the Gender Equality Agency!

Criticized Agency

The Gender Equality Agency is to report back on the assignment no later than December 15, 2027. The agency has faced broad criticism for conducting left-leaning feminist activism rather than objective government work and for having a far from equal gender profile among staff, with 8 out of 10 employees being women.

The Sweden Democrats, who are part of the governing bloc, have demanded that the Gender Equality Agency be shut down. However, the Liberals made it a condition in the Tidö Agreement for the agency to remain, and for it to receive more funding than under the previous red-green government.

Read all articles on Samnytt about the Gender Equality Agency HERE.