The Manosphere Is An MLM Scheme Targeting Your Son (And Why That Should Terrify You)

I just finished watching Louis Theroux’s new Netflix documentary, Inside The Manosphere, and I’m still shaking. Not because I was shocked by what these men believe about women—I’ve read enough about Andrew Tate and the Dawah Brothers to know the surface-level misogyny. What genuinely horrified me was the realisation that the manosphere operates exactly like a multi-level marketing scheme, and it’s targeting vulnerable boys the same way MLMs target stay-at-home mums.

As a mother of a 5-year-old son, this is coming for us sooner than we think.

But what made my blood run cold was that some of the girls in the documentary were happy to be treated as less than. They’d internalised the misogyny so deeply they believed they deserved it. If you have daughters, you need to be aware of this, too. This isn’t just about protecting our sons from becoming perpetrators—it’s about protecting our daughters from accepting treatment that strips them of their humanity.

What Is The Manosphere?

The manosphere is a loose network of online communities, influencers, and content creators who promote extreme views about masculinity, women, and traditional gender roles. It includes pickup artists, men’s rights activists, incels (involuntary celibates), and self-proclaimed “alpha males” who sell courses on how to “escape the matrix” and reclaim masculine power.

Key figures include:

• Andrew Tate – Former kickboxer turned influencer, arrested in Romania on human trafficking charges, known for extreme misogynistic statements and his “Hustler’s University” pyramid scheme
• The Dawah Brothers – Islamic content creators who blend religious messaging with manosphere talking points
• Myron Gaines (Fresh & Fit) – Podcast host known for degrading women on camera and promoting “high-value male” ideology
• Sneako – YouTuber who lost his platform for extreme content, now operates on alternative platforms
• Pearl Davis (JustPearlyThings) – Female creator who platforms manosphere figures and promotes traditional gender roles to young women

What unites them all? They’re not just spreading hateful ideology. They’re running a business model. And that business model is identical to the MLM schemes I’ve been raising awareness on for years.

The Double Standard That Defines The Manosphere

Let me be absolutely clear about what horrified me most in the documentary: the staggering, shameless hypocrisy in how these men view women versus how they view themselves.

These influencers brag—constantly, proudly—about sleeping with dozens or hundreds of women. They frame it as proof of their “high value” and alpha status. They market this lifestyle to vulnerable boys as the ultimate achievement. Sexual conquest is their currency.

But when a woman has had multiple sexual partners? She’s “used goods.” She’s damaged. She’s worthless. She’s disgusting.

The same behaviour that makes a man “high value” makes a woman “low value.”

Watch any Fresh & Fit podcast episode and you’ll see Myron Gaines interrogate female guests about their sexual history, then dismiss and degrade them based on their answers—whilst simultaneously boasting about his own sexual exploits. The cognitive dissonance is breathtaking. Or it would be, if it wasn’t so clearly intentional.

This isn’t about traditional values or biology or evolutionary psychology or any of the pseudo-intellectual justifications they hide behind. This is about control. It’s about creating a framework where men hold all the power and women exist to serve male needs whilst having none of their own.

Andrew Tate has openly stated that women are men’s property. That a woman’s value is tied to her youth and fertility. That successful women are “disgusting” because they’ve prioritised careers over serving men. These aren’t fringe views within the manosphere—they’re foundational beliefs.

And what makes it even more sinister? They genuinely believe women are less than them. Not just different. Not just suited to different roles. Inferior. Less intelligent. Less capable. Less deserving of autonomy, respect, or basic human dignity.

This belief system teaches boys that:

• Women exist for male pleasure and service
• Women’s opinions don’t matter
• Women who assert themselves are “masculine” and unattractive
• Women who’ve had previous partners are damaged goods
• Women’s value decreases with age whilst men’s increases
• Women are naturally manipulative and dishonest
• Women’s careers and ambitions are inferior to motherhood and supporting men
• Domestic violence and coercive control are justified if a woman “disrespects” a man

When I watched the documentary, I kept thinking: this is what they’re willing to say on camera. What are they saying in their private communities? In their paid Discord servers and Telegram groups? What messages are they sending to teenage boys when no one’s watching?

The answer terrifies me, because we already know. Andrew Tate’s “Hustler’s University” chat logs were leaked, and they showed members sharing tactics for exploiting and controlling women, discussing how to run webcam businesses using trafficked women, and celebrating emotional and financial abuse.

How The Manosphere Operates Exactly Like An MLM

I’ve written extensively about who MLMs target and how they exploit vulnerable groups. When I watched Inside The Manosphere, every single MLM red flag was there. The business model is identical. Only instead of selling overpriced leggings to stay-at-home mums, they’re selling online courses to teenage boys.

The Pyramid Structure

Andrew Tate’s “Hustler’s University” (rebranded as “The Real World” after being banned from payment processors) operated as a textbook pyramid scheme:

• Students paid monthly subscriptions (originally $49.99/month, later £39/month)
• Students were encouraged to become “affiliates” and recruit others
• Affiliates earned commission on every person they recruited
• The more people you recruit, the higher your status in the community
• Top recruiters were promoted as success stories
• The actual “education” was generic business advice available free elsewhere

Sound familiar? It’s the exact same structure as Arbonne, Herbalife, or any other MLM. The product doesn’t matter. The recruitment matters.

At its peak, Hustler’s University claimed 200,000+ members. Even if only half paid the subscription, that’s nearly £4 million per month. And just like MLMs, the vast majority of participants made nothing, whilst a tiny percentage at the top extracted all the wealth.

Fresh & Fit runs a similar model with their “Body Language University” course. Sneako promotes various affiliate products and courses. The Dawah Brothers monetise through Patreon tiers and exclusive community access. Pearl Davis sells consultation calls and promotes other manosphere products for affiliate commission.

They’re all running the same con, just repackaged for a male audience.

Targeting The Vulnerable

MLMs target stay-at-home mums who feel isolated, financially insecure, and disconnected from their pre-children identity. They promise financial freedom, community, and a way to contribute without sacrificing time with their kids.

The manosphere targets boys and young men who feel:

• Economically insecure and scared about their financial future
• Socially isolated and struggling to form connections
• Rejected or ignored by girls and women
• Confused about their role in modern society
• Angry at a system that feels rigged against them
• Lacking positive male role models or father figures

These are legitimate feelings. Economic inequality is real. Social isolation among young men is a documented crisis. The lack of positive male role models is a genuine problem, particularly for boys growing up without involved fathers.

But just like MLMs, the manosphere doesn’t solve these problems—it exploits them for profit.

The “Escape The Matrix” Pitch

MLMs promise: “Be your own boss! Financial freedom! Work from anywhere!”

The manosphere promises: “Escape the matrix! Break free from the system! Become a high-value male!”

It’s the same manipulation. Both prey on people who feel trapped by their circumstances. Both offer a seductive fantasy of transformation through their system. Both blame external forces (corporate employment/the feminist agenda) rather than addressing the actual structural issues causing economic insecurity.

And both rely on selling hope to people who desperately want to believe there’s a shortcut to the life they want.

Repackaged Common Sense As Exclusive Knowledge

MLM huns act like they’ve discovered revolutionary skincare secrets or financial strategies. In reality, they’re selling overpriced products and basic budgeting advice you could learn from YouTube.

Manosphere influencers act like they’ve unlocked exclusive secrets about male psychology, attraction, and success. In reality, they’re selling basic self-improvement advice (work out, develop skills, build confidence) wrapped in misogyny and conspiracy theories.

Andrew Tate’s course content, when leaked, included groundbreaking lessons like “go to the gym” and “learn copywriting.” Myron Gaines’ advice boils down to “make money and don’t be unattractive.” This is common sense repackaged as exclusive insider information to justify the price tag.

Love Bombing And Community

MLMs create a sense of belonging through team chats, conferences, and upline relationships. New recruits are showered with praise, welcomed into the “sisterhood,” and made to feel part of something special.

The manosphere creates “brotherhood.” Private Discord servers, Telegram groups, and exclusive communities where members support each other, share their “progress,” and reinforce the ideology. New members are welcomed as fellow truth-seekers who’ve “unplugged” from the matrix.

This sense of community is powerful, especially for isolated young men. But it’s conditional. Disagree with the ideology? Question the leader? You’re out. You’re back in the matrix. You’re blue-pilled. You’re a simp.

The Performance Of Wealth

MLM huns rent luxury cars for photoshoots, pose in front of houses they don’t own, and flash cash they don’t have to recruit new victims. The performance of success is essential to the con.

Andrew Tate built his brand on Bugattis, private jets, and luxury penthouses in Romania. Except many of those assets were rented. The Bugatti was leased. The penthouses were short-term rentals for content creation. The private jets were chartered for specific trips, not owned.

It’s the exact same performance. The wealth is a prop. The lifestyle is a set. And just like MLM huns, the real money comes from selling the image of wealth to people desperate enough to pay for the “secret” to achieving it.

Isolation From Critics

MLMs teach recruits that anyone who questions the business is a “hater,” “jealous,” or “stuck in a poverty mindset.” Friends and family who express concern are dismissed as unsupportive dream-killers.

The manosphere teaches that anyone who criticises their ideology is part of “the matrix,” a “blue-pilled sheep,” or a “beta male simp.” Mainstream media, educators, and even parents who object are framed as part of the system trying to keep you enslaved.

This isolation is intentional. It cuts off alternative perspectives and creates dependency on the community and its leaders. Once you’ve alienated everyone who might talk you out of it, the only people left are the ones selling you the ideology.

Why The Algorithm Is Pushing This Content To Your Son

Here’s what terrifies me most: your son doesn’t have to go looking for this content. The algorithm will bring it to him.

I want you to understand how insidious this is. A 12-year-old boy watches a video about working out. Perfectly innocent. The algorithm sees that engagement and thinks: “He’s interested in fitness and masculinity. What else would he like?”

Within a few videos, he’s watching content about “alpha male” behaviour. Then videos about why modern women don’t respect men anymore. Then Andrew Tate clips about escaping the matrix. Then Fresh & Fit podcasts about body counts and high-value males.

He didn’t search for any of it. He just watched one gym video, and the algorithm did the rest.

This is documented in the Big Tech’s Little Victims campaign, which has exposed how social media algorithms actively push extreme content to young users because it generates engagement through the outrage and emotions it evokes.

And platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram prioritise engagement above everything else—including the psychological harm being done to the children consuming this content.

Research has shown that boys who watch manosphere content experience measurable shifts in their attitudes towards women within weeks. They become more likely to excuse sexual harassment, more likely to believe in rigid gender roles, and more likely to view women as objects rather than people.

And once the algorithm has identified your son as receptive to this content, it will feed him more and more extreme versions. Because that’s what keeps him watching, resulting in more engagement and money for the platform.

This is why I fully support the proposed social media ban for under-16s. Children’s developing brains are being deliberately exploited by algorithms designed to radicalise them for profit.

What These Influencers Are Really Like

In the documentary, these men came across as deeply unpleasant human beings. Not because Louis Theroux edited them to look bad—he barely had to. They exposed themselves.

They were disrespectful to every woman who appeared on screen. They were condescending to Louis. They lacked self-awareness to a degree that would be comical if it wasn’t so dangerous. And they demonstrated zero personal integrity.

These are men who claim to stand for truth, masculinity, and traditional values, but who:

• Built their wealth by exploiting women in webcam businesses
• Fled to countries with weak law enforcement to avoid accountability
• Lie constantly about their wealth, credentials, and accomplishments
• Refuse to take responsibility for the harm their content causes
• Block and ban anyone who challenges them with facts
• Manipulate vulnerable boys for financial gain

These men are con artists.

And the fact that millions of boys and young men see them as aspirational figures should terrify every parent.

The Girls Who’ve Internalised The Misogyny

One of the most disturbing moments in the documentary was watching young women defend and justify the treatment they receive from manosphere men. They’d absorbed the ideology so completely that they believed they deserved less respect, less autonomy, and less value than men.

This is what happens when girls grow up consuming content that tells them their worth is tied to their youth, their virginity, and their willingness to submit to male authority. They internalise it. They police themselves and other women. They become complicit in their own oppression.

Pearl Davis has built her entire platform on this. She’s a woman who makes content telling other women that feminism ruined their lives, that they should submit to men, that their value decreases with age, and that career success makes them unlovable. And young women watch her content and think: “She’s a woman saying this, so it must be true.”

If you have daughters, you need to be aware of this, too. The manosphere isn’t just radicalising boys—it’s conditioning girls to accept treatment that would have been unthinkable to previous generations of women.

Talk to your daughters about:

• Their inherent worth as human beings, not objects
• The double standards they’ll encounter and how to recognise them
• Why some women internalise and promote misogyny
• What healthy relationships look like (mutual respect, equality, consent)
• How to spot manipulation and coercive control
• Why the “traditional values” being sold online are actually tools of oppression

Why This Is Coming For Your Son Sooner Than You Think

My son is five. He doesn’t have a phone. He has extremely limited screen time. He’s never been on social media. I’ve been careful about what content he’s exposed to.

But I know that in a few years, he’ll be in school with kids who do have phones. Who do watch YouTube unsupervised. Who will share Andrew Tate memes in the group chat. Who will quote Fresh & Fit talking points in the classroom.

By the time he’s 10 or 11, he’ll be exposed to this content whether I like it or not.

The research is clear: the average age of first exposure to manosphere content is between 11-13 years old. That’s Year 7. That’s when boys are most vulnerable—navigating puberty, forming their identity, trying to understand what it means to be a man.

And instead of positive role models showing them that masculinity can include kindness, emotional intelligence, and respect for women, the algorithm will show them Andrew Tate telling them that women are property and that empathy is weakness.

This is coming for our sons. Sooner than we want to believe. And if we’re not prepared, if we haven’t already started these conversations, if we haven’t already built the foundation of critical thinking and respect—they’re vulnerable.

What You Can Do As A Parent

When I finished the documentary, I felt paralysed by the scale of the problem. How do you protect your child from a multi-billion-pound industry backed by algorithms specifically designed to bypass parental controls?

But we’re not powerless. Here’s what we can do:

1. Start The Conversation Now (Even If They’re Young)

Don’t wait until your son is already consuming this content. Start building the framework now:

• Talk about respect for all people, regardless of gender
• Model healthy relationships in your own life
• Discuss emotions openly and validate feelings
• Challenge gender stereotypes when they appear in media
• Teach critical thinking about online content and influencers
• Explain that people who brag about wealth online are often lying

Age-appropriate conversations matter. You don’t need to explain Andrew Tate to a 6-year-old, but you can teach a 6-year-old that boys and girls deserve equal respect.

2. Monitor Their Online Activity (And Understand The Algorithm)

I know this is controversial. I know teens need privacy. But social media isn’t a private conversation with a friend—it’s a broadcast platform designed to manipulate your child for profit.

This means:

• Know what platforms they’re using and what content they’re consuming
• Regularly check their watch history and subscriptions
• Use parental controls, but understand they’re not foolproof
• Have their passwords and check their accounts regularly
• Watch videos together and discuss what you’re seeing
• Explain how algorithms work and why they push extreme content
• Set up YouTube and TikTok to require approval for subscriptions

This isn’t about invading their privacy. This is about protecting them from predatory content designed to exploit developing brains. The Big Tech’s Little Victims campaign has shown us that these platforms are deliberately harmful to children. Act accordingly.

3. Understand The MLM Connection

If you’ve read my article about MLM vulnerable groups, you already understand recruitment tactics, isolation techniques, and financial exploitation.

Use that knowledge here. Explain to your son:

• How pyramid schemes work and why Hustler’s University fits the model
• Why people who brag about wealth are usually selling something
• How “exclusive communities” isolate people from outside perspectives
• Why “secret knowledge” is almost always repackaged common sense
• How affiliate marketing creates incentives to lie about products

Once they understand the business model, the ideology becomes less seductive.

4. Provide Alternative Male Role Models

Boys need to see positive examples of masculinity. Men who are:

• Kind without being weak
• Confident without being arrogant
• Successful without being ruthless
• Emotional without being unstable
• Respectful towards women without being performative

This might be a father, uncle, teacher, coach, or mentor. It might be public figures, authors, or content creators who model healthy masculinity. But boys need to see that there’s more than one way to be a man—and that the manosphere’s version is a shallow, toxic counterfeit.

5. Teach Them To Question What They’re Being Sold

Every time they encounter online content, teach them to ask:

• Who profits from me believing this?
• What are they selling (courses, products, affiliate links)?
• Do they back up claims with credible evidence?
• Are they isolating me from people who disagree?
• Do they create urgency or fear to manipulate decisions?
• Would I be embarrassed if my mum saw this content?

Critical thinking is the best defence against manipulation of any kind.

6. Support The Social Media Ban For Under-16s

I’ve written before about why I support banning social media for under-16s, and the manosphere is yet another reason why this legislation is desperately needed.

These platforms are not neutral spaces. They are propaganda machines designed to radicalise children for engagement. No amount of parental controls can fully protect kids from algorithms specifically engineered to bypass those controls.

Contact your MP. Support campaigns calling for stronger regulations. Push for meaningful age verification that actually works. This isn’t about controlling teenagers—it’s about stopping tech companies from exploiting children.

7. Watch The Documentary Together (If Age-Appropriate)

For older teenagers (16+), consider watching Inside The Manosphere together. Use it as a starting point for conversations about:

• What they noticed about how the influencers treated women
• Whether the “high value male” concept makes sense to them
• How they’d feel if their sister or future daughter was treated like the women in the doc
• What they think about the business model behind these communities
• Whether they’ve encountered similar content online

Don’t lecture. Ask questions. Listen to their answers. Understand what appeals to them about this content, if anything, so you can address those underlying needs.

8. Talk About The Boys Who Don’t Have Involved Fathers

Whilst this is a threat to all boys, it’s worth acknowledging that boys growing up without involved fathers are particularly vulnerable to manosphere recruitment. These influencers deliberately position themselves as father figures, offering guidance and validation that absent fathers don’t provide.

If your son has friends in this situation, they’re especially at risk. Not because there’s anything wrong with single-parent families, but because the manosphere specifically targets the legitimate pain and confusion these boys feel.

You can’t be a father figure to every boy. But you can:

• Model positive masculinity when your son’s friends are around
• Be aware that vulnerable boys in your son’s peer group might introduce this content
• Talk to your son about empathy for kids whose home lives are difficult
• Support organisations and programmes that provide mentorship to boys without fathers

9. Don’t Panic If They’ve Already Been Exposed

If you discover your son has been watching Andrew Tate or Fresh & Fit, don’t panic. Don’t punish. Don’t shame.

Ask questions:

• What do you like about this content?
• What does it make you think about women?
• Do you think the things they say are true? Why?
• Have you noticed they’re selling courses? What do you think about that?
• How do you think your sister/female friends/mum would feel hearing you talk like that?

Understand why the content appealed to them. Were they feeling insecure? Isolated? Confused about relationships? Those are legitimate feelings. Address the feelings without endorsing the ideology.

10. Share This Article

If this resonated with you, share it.

The more parents who understand what’s happening, the harder it is for the manosphere to operate unchallenged. These influencers thrive on parents being clueless. Information is our weapon.

The Bottom Line

The manosphere is a multi-million-pound industry built on exploiting vulnerable boys and young men using the exact same tactics as multi-level marketing schemes.

It teaches boys that women are inferior, that empathy is weakness, that violence is strength, and that respect for women makes you a “simp.” It isolates them from healthy relationships, radicalises them through algorithmic manipulation, and extracts money from them through pyramid scheme business models.

And it’s coming for our sons whether we’re ready or not.

I watched Inside The Manosphere and saw men with zero personal integrity, no respect for women, and a complete willingness to exploit teenage boys for profit. They weren’t impressive. They weren’t aspirational. They were sad, hollow men selling a fantasy to people desperate enough to believe it.

But they’re winning. Because whilst we’ve been trusting that our sons are “just watching YouTube,” the algorithm has been feeding them a carefully constructed pipeline of misogyny designed to turn confusion and insecurity into cash.

We can’t compete with the algorithm. We can’t outspend the influencers. We can’t ban every platform or monitor every device.

But we can talk to our sons. We can model respect. We can teach critical thinking. We can show them what healthy masculinity looks like. We can build relationships strong enough that when Andrew Tate tells them women are property, they hear our voice louder than his.

This is the fight of our generation of parents. Not against our sons, but for them. Against an industry that sees their insecurity as profit and their development as collateral damage.

Start the conversations now. Before the algorithm does it for you.

Related articles:

• MLMs: The Vulnerable Groups Multi-Level Marketing Companies Exploit
• Why I’m Sharing Less About My Child Online