By: Elena Mart

Netflix’s Adolescence isn’t just a gripping drama; it’s a mirror held up to a generation quietly radicalized by the devices in their hands. The tale of 13-year-old Jamie Miller and the terrible fallout from his plunge into digital poisoning makes us face a reality that society has long attempted to overlook: the algorithm is indoctrinating teenage boys to hate. 

There’s a moment in Netflix’s Adolescence that lingers long after the credits roll: A boy, hardly a teenager, descends into an ideology that began online rather than in his home or classroom. It was only a dramatic scenario for many viewers. For us, it was heartbreakingly familiar. 

The algorithm, which no parent can completely control, is socializing teenage boys. And in recent years, that algorithm has handed them something dangerous: gender bias masked as strength. 

When Masculinity Meets a Monetized Feed 

What truly makes adolescence so haunting is its raw realism. Jamie Miller, the 13-year-old main character who is accused of murder, is not shown as a monster in the series. Rather, it presents a multi-layered picture of a youngster searching in all the wrong places for answers. What he discovers, online discussion boards, influencers who associate masculinity with domination, and a never-ending cycle of blame aimed at women, which is nothing new. But its subtlety, quickness, and reach? That’s where today’s problem lies. 

“Social media platforms have never really been about empowerment for the masses, especially the most vulnerable of us,” says Olivia DeRamus, founder of Communia. “These platforms were created as advertising machines, with an engagement-at-all-costs model that will happily exploit our mental health and well-being to make as large a profit as possible. With platforms like Meta explicitly stating that demeaning women and girls is allowed on their platforms. It’s deeply upsetting that worsening mental health is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mainstream social media failing young people. Most recently, Meta whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams said that the company targeted ads at teens based on their emotional state. If they saw actions that suggested insecurity or depression, they would show the user beauty brand ads and play into their emotional issues.” 

For a lot of boys, websites like YouTube and TikTok don’t just entertain; they teach. Additionally, they subtly start influencing how young brains view gender, power, and belonging without meaningful counter-narratives. 

The Psychological Cost of Clickbait Culture 

“It’s no surprise that when young boys aren’t given the language or tools to process what they’re feeling, they often look for answers elsewhere,” says Bianca Errigo, founder of HumanOS, a wellbeing platform for workplaces. “Biased content targeting women can offer a false sense of control or belonging, especially when they’re navigating feelings like rejection, anger, or insecurity.” 

According to Bianca, a specialist in stress management and emotional intelligence, the problem begins far sooner than most people think. She points out that younger generations are increasingly seeking spaces where they feel part of a community. This presents a powerful opportunity but also a real risk if there aren’t healthy places for them to turn to, particularly young boys. In our work, we see teaching boys that it’s not just okay to feel—it’s powerful—as a hugely important step for early intervention. 

The Real-World Impact of Online Gender Bias 

Adolescence reminds Olivia of the very reason she started Communia in the first place. “The women and girls who suffer from this drive the bulk of advertising spend on social media platforms,” Olivia adds. “And the young men being radicalized towards extremism online are not benefitting from this dynamic either. No one is actually benefiting from this toxic system, except for a few wealthy men.” 

Communia opposes this by developing a moderated, empathetic, and privacy-first substitute for conventional social media. It depends on emotional safety rather than engagement measures. Olivia is aware that despite the availability of alternatives, digital platforms continue to influence cultural norms, particularly among teenagers. 

Olivia created Communia in direct response to this. “On my own app, Communia—the healthy social network for women & non-binary people—we go beyond to make sure people have as much control over their digital experiences as possible. Our users can trust that they’re talking to a real person, they consent to what they’re being shown on their newsfeed, and random people can’t message them they didn’t accept as a friend first.” 

What Can We Do? 

According to both experts, we need early, human-centered intervention rather than additional shock or guilt. 

This entails educating students about emotional intelligence in schools. This entails demonstrating to guys the true meaning of strength, which is self-awareness rather than supremacy. It entails creating physical and digital environments that promote unity rather than divisiveness. 

“A truly safe and inclusive digital space looks like appropriate moderation,” Olivia continues. “That could look like banning an account the first time they threaten someone with violence or encourage others to do so. As a reminder, threatening someone with violence and inciting violence is illegal! All they have to do is ban the accounts being reported every day by other users.” 

“We also don’t have freedom of speech if there are demographics who don’t feel physically or emotionally safe to express themselves. That’s vital for inclusive spaces.”

Supporting this, Bianca adds that “We need to create safe, supportive spaces early on for boys to explore emotion, build empathy, and understand the impact of their actions on others.” 

Ending Note 

Netflix’s Adolescence is both an invitation and a warning. It challenges us to examine the structures that let Jamie down before he let anyone else down. Adolescence strikes a nerve because it’s familiar, not because it’s dramatic. The characters feel like people we know: friends, students, sons. And that’s what makes it urgent. The longer we consider it an adult issue, the more covertly the teenage males will be drawn into internet toxic digital cultures. 

We are not powerless. Culture-shapers, parents, teachers, and IT leaders all have a part to play. However, it begins with admitting that the internet is influencing young people’s thinking in real time and is not a neutral playground. 

If the algorithm is raising our boys, then it’s time to raise the bar for what it teaches.

Published by Joseph T.