Shaping Cyberhate Against Women: Anti-Feminist Discourse and Content on TikTok

Prof. Samuel Tanner’s research examines masculinism and, more specifically, how masculinist discourse is produced and circulated on social media. His work began after observing a growing number of videos framing relationships between men and women through defamatory narratives, particularly around the “Sigma” hashtag. The research focuses on how this content reaches young audiences and becomes part of broader online conversations. 

A key finding is that this discourse often functions as an entry point into masculinism rather than appearing immediately as overtly radical content. It uses humour, pop culture references, music, television, aesthetics, and gamified forms of engagement to normalize problematic ideas and lower the threshold for accepting defamatory messages. Prof. Tanner also notes that this discourse is not used exclusively by men; girls and other groups are increasingly appropriating and repeating it as well.

The study draws on TikTok videos, a survey of undergraduate students at the Université de Montréal, and 15 interviews with people who either produced or frequently consumed Sigma-related content. Prof. Tanner’s work points to the need for greater awareness among parents, educators, and the public; stronger digital literacy for young people; and broader reflection on platform accountability, including how algorithms curate and promote content. His research also encourages more open conversations with young people about masculinity, inclusivity, and alternative models of what it means to be a man in society.

An open access version of the paper was published in Social Media & Society.