Why young men love him and women are worried

Misogyny runs rampant on TikTok, owing to social media star Andrew Tate. Disturbing views once only shared by incels on 4chan and the web's dark corners are now mainstream.

Disturbing views once only shared by incels on 4chan and the dark corners of the internet are now mainstream.

This story mentions domestic violence and graphic descriptions of abuse.

Misogyny runs rampant on mainstream TikTok, owing to social media superstar Andrew Tate, who claims teenage girls are better girlfriends because they're easier to "make an imprint upon".

TikTok users are calling out the "self-help guru" content creator amid claims the app’s algorithm is amplifying violent attitudes to young people.

The former Big Brother UK contestant and kickboxer turned social media content creator who promotes a playboy lifestyle and says rape victims "must bear some responsibility" has ratcheted up billions of views.

@unmatchedperspicasity

If you are responsible, you have a degree of authority. #andrewtate #fyp #women #oompaville

♬ SUNRISE - Xantesha

Tate's popularity has exploded. Google trends show his name was googled more times than that of Kim Kardashian or Donald Trump at the end of July.

He does not have an official TikTok account of his own, but videos of him speaking are shared widely. 

In 2016 Tate was removed from Big Brother after the release of a video in which he whips a woman with a belt in what he claims is "consensual role play". The following year he was permanently suspended from Twitter.

He also runs an online learning platform called Hustler’s University where he charges members $70 (AUD) a month to access courses about how to get rich quick through cryptocurrency and the stock market. Subscribers can also get a slice of Tate's purported $30m fortune by selling memberships to their friends, similar to a multi-level marketing scheme.

Hunter Johnson, CEO at Man Cave, told The Oz the explosion of Tate's popularity was worrying but complex, describing him as a symptom rather than the problem.

Hunter Johnson of the Man Cave greets Meghan Markle. Picture: Supplied

"I think it’s nuanced," he said. "My worry is if you tell a teenager not to do something what are they going to do? They’re going to watch it - by just banning content or cancelling people like Andrew Tate it doesn’t invite deep reflection around the issues at play."

"I think  there's a really confusing narrative for masculinity at the moment and a lot of young people are feeling it and questioning who they are and who they should look up to both in 2022 and beyond."

Johnson said young teenagers are captured by traditional masculine beliefs being delivered with conviction and attitude.

"He (Tate)’s just a symptom of a deeper problem and whether it’s through government intervention or schools, we need to go to the root cause and focus on prevention."

Johnson, who runs workshops with high school students to promote positive masculinity, said young men needed environments where they can question the script of masculinity and celebrate its good sides. 

@hu2cobrtate

"Who know's CPR guys😂" #andrewtate #hustlersuniversity #CPR #mindset #joke #funny #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #viral #xyzbca

♬ original sound - Andrew Tate

He said dealing with figures such as Tate was also made more tricky by the fact teenagers were often trying to push the boundaries and figure out their identity and Tate was effectively behaving like a grownup teenager.

"The other thing is social media is designed to capture attention and we also know the algorithm continues to grow and feed on itself and feeding these boys content which is often shocking," he said. "The worry with Tate is that he's getting all this status or cred from it, which is affirming his beliefs."

White Ribbon spokesman John Cooke called on TikTok and social media platforms to remove content that is full of hatred, contempt and misogyny.

He told The Oz TikTok was effectively "providing consent" by remaining silent on the issue.

"Is this the sort of man our men and boys – our fathers, husbands, brothers, cousins and nephews - aspire to be? Is this the sort of culture our social media platforms want to support? I suspect not, but whether they realise it or not, as long as TikTok remains silent on this issue, it is in fact providing consent," Cooke said.

A spokesperson for TikTok Australia told The Oz it was working to review content that violated its guidelines and add more safeguards to stop misogynistic content filling users' newsfeeds.  

"Misogyny and other hateful ideologies and behaviours are not tolerated on TikTok, and we are working to review this content and take action against violations of our guidelines," they said.

"We continually look to strengthen our policies and enforcement strategies, including adding more safeguards to our recommendation system, as part of our work to keep TikTok a safe and inclusive space for our community."

If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 1800RESPECT.