New White Ribbon campaign My Friend, Max Hate addresses the radicalization of boys and young men online and its contribution to gender-based violence [Video]

White Ribbon launches its newest campaign, My Friend, Max Hate, featuring a public services announcement (PSA) that follows the journey of a young, isolated boy who becomes influenced by a misogynistic online puppet, ‘Max Hate’. The PSA reveals how online figures in the manosphere – a network of online communities promoting hateful, misogynistic rhetoric – groom young men and boys, fuelling attitudes that contribute to gender-based violence.

“It’s alarming to see the growing impact of the manosphere and how they are conditioning vulnerable populations such as teens, particularly young men,” says Humberto Carolo, White Ribbon Chief Executive Officer. “These misogynistic online groups have existed for years, but their influence has grown under controversial figures, driving an increase in gender-based violence. With the My Friend, Max Hate campaign, our goal is to expose the damaging influence of misogynistic figures and raise awareness, particularly among young men who are often drawn into these toxic online communities.”

The spot …