(Adnkronos) – Starting in September, English schools will introduce new lessons to help students aged 11 to 18 recognize and counter misogynistic content and toxic masculinity models spread online by influencers like Andrew Tate. The initiative, presented by the British Department for Education, aims to counter the growing exposure of young people to hate messages towards women, incel culture and pornography, also highlighting the risks related to deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence.
“I want our children to be able to resist the evil forces that exist online,” said Education Minister Bridget Phillipson, stressing the central role of schools and families in helping children recognize positive role models. According to data released by the government, 54% of students between the ages of 11 and 19 have witnessed misogynistic statements in the past week. The new modules will aim to provide tools to deconstruct stereotypes and myths about relationships, “without stigmatizing boys just for being boys”.
The initiative was also welcomed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who praised the recent success of the Netflix series Adolescence – centered on a 13-year-old radicalized online who kills a peer – as a useful example to raise awareness in schools. The government expects the new guidelines to become mandatory from September 2026.
