One of the themes of the writing test for the second phase at Unicamp (State University of Campinas), this Sunday (30), was: “The ‘machosphere’ and hate speech against women”.
The term machosphere is used to describe networks of digital groups that claim to discuss men’s issues, but which they disseminate online. antifeminist narrativesin addition to practices of misogyny and hatred against women.
a United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, defines the machosphere as the set of communities that reinforce rigid models of masculinity and the idea that advances in gender equality have occurred “at the expense of men”.
Reports from the entity show that these groups are organized on dating apps, games, podcasts and social networks, where some of the content encourages harmful behavior and supports the false premise that men would be victims of an alleged social scenario.
According to experts cited by CNN Portugal, the machosphere operates on social networks, forums and video platforms, combining influence, monetization and little regulation.
It is an environment, according to experts, where men choose women as their enemy, are proudly misogynistic, transform gender violence into an online spectacle, indoctrinate children and profit from it – this is the machosphere, a “time bomb that has already exploded”, they warn.
Guilty women
Experts interviewed by CNN Portugal say that these networks operate based on opposition to feminism and the circulation of discourses that blame women for violence suffered by them.
These materials are amplified by algorithms and converted into profitable products, while at the same time fueling practices of harassment, surveillance and non-consensual exposure.
Platform regulation
Organizations linked to the UN argue that combating the machosphere depends on public policies, platform regulation and education for equality.
For experts, prevention strategies, support for victims and rigorous analysis of digital dynamics are fundamental to reducing the impact of these groups and promoting safer online environments.
