Whose pipeline have you entered?

Our beliefs, interests, hobbies, and pursuits can be shaped by many influences: family and friends, subjects you loved in school, books and movies that are still your go-tos.  

But there's another channel that can shape beliefs and demand attention: the digital world, including social media and online gaming.

Scrolling topics you enjoy on socials can be a way to unwind at the end of the day or fill time while you wait for your train. Whether it’s a podcast you follow or an influencer whose content you connect with – we all do it, and it’s mostly a bit of harmless fun.

But algorithms serve us content by design, and it’s not always harmless. For young men in particular, something sinister is happening beneath the surface. Users are being unwittingly drawn toward extreme content by videos that, at first glance, appear to be the same flavour as their usual content.

What is an incel?

The term ‘incel’ combines ‘involuntary’ and ‘celibate.’ It describes people who want a romantic or sexual relationship but cannot find a partner. People of all genders and sexual orientations can identify as incels, and not every incel holds misogynistic beliefs. However, the term is mainly associated with online communities of heterosexual men.  

These men often blame their lack of relationships on what they see as unfair treatment from women and society. To find community and shift blame away from themselves, online incels often resort to hating women as a sport. They create and share degrading and misogynistic beliefs and theories centered on their perceived entitlement to women's bodies.

You might think you know what incel communities, content and ideas looks like, but the pipeline from incel adjacent content to radical misogynistic content is surprisingly short.  

What journey does the algorithim want you to take?

Research shows that young men often start their journey with fitness content. At first glance, this seems innocuous, it could even pass as healthy, but it sets a subtle norm: men should be strong, fit, and ripped.  

This content is the first of three tiers, called a "cultural touchpoint." If you watch these videos long enough, you'll reach the next tier: "masculine status."  

Here, the focus shifts from exercise techniques to motivational talks from gym bros. They discuss discipline and how fitness can help earn women's admiration. Tier two seems reasonable, focusing on self-improvement and motivation. Yet, it subtly frames women as rewards to be earned.  

The final tier, "degrading health," makes up less than 1% of the content. At this last stop, the idea of self-improvement fades, revealing overt misogyny like derogatory language and dehumanising memes. Alarmingly, users don’t always seek out this radical content; the algorithm leads them to it.

Is the content you're seeing exploiting insecurities?

Having an interest in sports and exercise is great. But when 'male enhancement' methods like bodybuilding and looksmaxing are seen as the only ways to be masculine, it gets tricky.

A lot of incel content is based on the idea that society rewards so called ‘good looks’ (think mainstream, celebrated features like being tall with a strong jawline and big muscles). Influencers support this idea with pseudo-science, pushing the benefits of improving your looks through workouts, diets, or cosmetic procedures.  

But who really benefits from this? It’s often not the person watching endless videos about changing their appearance. Instead, it’s the companies selling the products needed to "level up" your looks. Think protein supplements, gyms, and cosmetic surgeons.

Have you noticed a shift in the tone of the content you're consuming?

Think back. Has the tone of the reels, clips, and videos you watch changed? Has it intensified? Has it pushed you to make drastic physical changes or suggested that a certain routine will 'improve' your life by making you rich, boosting your romantic prospects, or earning you respect?  

Pay attention to this feeling. It may mean the content you're seeing is making you feel entitled to certain things, including women. Overtly misogynistic content is the end point of the incel pipeline, but there are signs long before arriving there. These signs show you might be on a path you didn’t choose, one that could harm your mental health.

Are you thinking critically about the content you engage with?

While algorithims come in all shapes and sizes, it's important to take stock and ask yourself a few grounding questions. This will help you keep track of the content you're engaging with and whether you feel comfortable with the rabbit hole it's leading you down.

Questions to reorient yourself:

• Have you noticed a shift in the kind of content you're seeing? Has it become more extreme?
• Does the content you're consuming make you feel angry with the world or entitled to things you don't have?
• Is it easier for you to post hateful comments online, where you can hide your identity, than to say them out loud, in person?
• Has the way you use socials changed e.g. are you comfortable using socials openly around friends and family? Or are exclusively scrolling alone in your room?
• Have you noticed that you're spending more time on socials? Are you withdrawing from real life relationships?
• Do you still recognise the person you are, or do you see a shift in your personal values?

Reminder: you're in charge of your digital life.

People leave incel communities for different reasons, but most stick around for about 5 years. Many disengage because they feel disillusioned, meaning they feel disappointed and unhappy.  

The good news is many people recognise what's happening to them with the help and support of family and friends. Jefferson spoke to us about his journey down the pipeline, and how he came out of it. Ben realised the stress of gaming was making him angry and hurting his personal relationships.

This isn't about controlling what people like or do online. It's about reminding yourself and your loved ones that you are in control of your algorithim. If yours is making you feel angry, sad, isolated and entitled, the answer is not radically optimizing your appearance or jumping into an echo-chamber of hate.  

It might be as simple as logging off.