The CPRMB is welcoming the news that more than 60 Labour MPs have written to the Ofcom chief executive, Melanie Dawes, calling for protection for men and boys from online influencers exposing them to gambling,sextortion and violent pornography.

The CPRMB has argued for some time that while the Online Safety Act includes welcome instruction for the regulator to give guidance totech platforms on “harmful content and activity that disproportionately affectswomen and girls,” there was no such guidance required for mitigating the impacts on men and boys.  This is also onthe back of growing evidence of the broad range of online harms affecting themwhich was not as well known or prevalent as when the law was introduced.

A full background briefing note produced by the CPRMB can found here: Online harms affecting men and boys -The case for official Ofcom guidance

 Mark Brooks, Policy Director at the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys, said, "Over the last year we have made the case for Ofcom to issue guidance to help address online harms affecting young menand boys. We are pleased this is being addressed. More is now known about thebroad range of online content that is impacting their lives from looksmaxxing to crypto, gambling to violence, and, suicide to sextortion, never forgetting misogyny and pornography. We know there is growing concern from parents and wider society about this content and its reach into many young men and boys' lives. Yet, there has been a lack of policy response specifically aimed at them and making online platforms accountable for the content targeted at them. There is now an urgent need for this to change."

The MPs’ letter comes days after the release of the Louis Theroux documentary, Inside the Manosphere. Below This link captures reactions from the CPRMB and associated experts in the field to the film: https://www.menandboys.org.uk/nce/louis-theroux26

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