In this investigation, the team of journalists investigate how a harmful ecosystem — often referred to as the manosphere, a cluster of online communities promoting male dominance, anti-feminist ideas and rigid gender norms — is increasingly moving beyond the internet. The investigation shows how its leading figures have built physical networks that amplify one another’s authority, flaunting exclusive clubs, retreats and business ventures while monetising young men’s insecurity under the guise of self-improvement.
Tracking these communities across social media, commercial ventures and in-person events reveals a curated world of luxury and exclusivity designed to secure algorithmic dominance and expand their influence over young men. But what begins as fitness or money-making advice warps into hostility towards women, minorities and democracy. Rooted in a growing offline infrastructure, this ideology spreads across Europe as the manosphere strengthens its presence both on and offline.
Against this backdrop, the project also examines the business model that sustains this ecosystem. By speaking with young men, the team aims to understand what draws them into the manosphere; and by listening to boys and girls, they show how this ecosystem is already influencing attitudes, beliefs and everyday interactions among teenagers.
Image by Quentin Martinez/ Unsplash
