Inoculating Boys Against Online Misogyny: A Preventative Approach to Digital Resilience

One of the most common questions I get from both parents and educators is: How do we talk to boys about sexism and misogyny online?

It’s an important and urgent question. And while I have plenty of thoughts on this, I want to share one in particular: an idea that’s grounded in social science, with increasing relevance for the digital challenges facing young men today.

That idea is attitudinal inoculation.

In simple terms, inoculation theory works a bit like a psychological vaccine. First proposed by William McGuire in 1961, the theory suggests that when people are warned that someone might try to persuade them, and then given tools to resist that persuasion, they’re far more likely to hold on to their values and beliefs. In short: they become harder to manipulate.

More recently, Professor Kurt Braddock has applied this approach to online extremism. In one study, participants who were exposed to a carefully crafted inoculation message – one that warned them about a persuasive group and gave them weak versions of its arguments – were less likely to support that group after reading its propaganda, and viewed it as less credible overall (Braddock, 2019).

Although Braddock’s research focuses on violent extremism, I think there’s strong reason to believe this same strategy could be used to help boys resist the rise of online misogyny.

Because here’s what we know:

• The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (2021) has highlighted the decreasing age of radicalisation in Australia.
• Online anti-feminist and misogynist content is on the rise, often disguised as self-help or men’s empowerment (Ging & Siapera, 2019).
• Teenage boys are the primary audience for this content. Recent research shows that 68% of Australian men aged 16–25 are engaging with masculinity influencer content online, and it’s shaping how they see themselves, women, and the world (Fisher, Rice, & Seidler, 2025).

In many schools, efforts to address this focus on correcting problematic behaviours or responding after harm has occurred. These are necessary conversations, but they’re also downstream. They begin after the boy is already influenced.

What inoculation theory suggests is that we should also be thinking upstream. We should be preparing younger boys, even pre-teens, to recognise and resist misogynistic content before it has a chance to shape them.

As Braddock puts it, “It’s easier to prevent somebody from going down the rabbit hole than pulling somebody back out.”

Rather than talking to boys as potential perpetrators, which can make them feel blamed, ashamed, or defensive, inoculation theory treats boys as vulnerable to manipulation. It assumes that boys want to do the right thing, but are navigating a digital world filled with persuasive, often harmful messages.

When applied in an educational or parental context, an inoculation approach might sound like this:

“You’re likely to see content online that sounds convincing – stuff about what it means to ‘be a real man,’ how women should behave, or who’s to blame for your struggles. But some of that content is designed to exploit you. Let’s talk about what those messages look like, and how to think critically about them when you come across them.”

The research shows that the effectiveness of these messages depends on how they’re delivered and by whom (Bélanger et al., 2020). That’s why these conversations need to be facilitated with care, connection, and credibility.

It’s also why educators and parents need support, not just scare tactics or Netflix shows that imply, “You don’t want to end up like that guy, do you?” While media like Adolescence has a place in the wider conversation, it’s not enough to shame boys into better behaviour. We need to equip them.

We need to tell them, “You’re going to encounter content that sounds right, but is actually wrong. Here’s how to spot it, and here’s what to do when you do.” That’s media literacy.

And if we’re serious about raising a generation of young men who are emotionally aware, digitally savvy, and grounded in healthy relationships, then we can’t afford to wait until they’ve already been pulled into the rabbit hole.

We need to start earlier. We need to inoculate.

If you’re a teacher, wellbeing coordinator, or parent who wants to explore how we bring these conversations into classrooms and communities, we’d love to support you. Reach out to the team at inyourskin. Let’s influence our young people before the algorithm does.