According to the researcher, Andrew Tate’s popularity shows the power of social media and the fact that misogynistic messages are being ordered.
Tiktok has a new star: a British-American Andrew Tatewho speaks in videos with a cigar in his mouth about assaulting and raping women.
The 35-year-old ex-kickboxer has also said that he prefers to date women between the ages of 18 and 19, so that “you can leave your mark on them” before other men. He has also reiterated that “women are men’s property and belong in the home”.
In just a few weeks, Tate has risen from nowhere to become one of the most talked about people on the internet.
In July, the number of Google searches made about Andrew Tate surpassed, for example, in the world About Donald Trump and About Kim Kardashian the number of searches made. In Finland, he became more sought after than the prime minister From Sanna Marin.
Tiktok videos featuring Tate have already been viewed 11.6 billion times. His audience consists primarily of teenage boys and young men.
Provocative content guarantees maximum visibility
After his kickboxing career, Tate has worked as a life skills coach. The Hustler’s University online learning environment he founded promises to help men get rich quickly, for example by investing in cryptocurrencies or real estate.
They create accounts with Tate’s name and picture, and share her videos on Tiktok.
According to the magazine, fans are advised to favor the most raffling content.
Researcher: Misogyny can be normalized in the fan base
Docent of contemporary culture studies and gender studies Tuija Saresma estimates that the popularity of the videos can lead to the normalization of misogyny in the fan base.
– Even if the character is just a provo, it is still really harmful. Millions of boys and young men watch its content on Tiktok, and inevitably something about it sticks in their head.
Saresma thinks that the provocativeness of the content is calculated, as social media platforms give plenty of visibility to content that evokes strong emotions.
Tiktok’s community rules prohibit hate speech and impersonation, but the social media giant has so far not interfered with Andrew Tate’s content.
According to Saresma, Tate’s explosive popularity says a lot about this time.
– The fact that this happens in just a few weeks proves the power of social media and, on the other hand, that there is an order for violent ideals against equality in the world and in Finland as well. That’s pretty wild!
You can discuss the topic on 12.8. until 11 p.m.