Funded by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner, this project will draw on focus group and individual interviews to understand what motivates and influences boys’ and young men’s online lives including what influences their sense of identity, behaviours and beliefs, and feelings of belonging and acceptance.

The research seeks to build an evidence base for eSafety to better understand the scope and complexity of boys’ and young men’s online experiences, says the project lead, Professor Amanda Keddie. In light of broader concerns about boys’ online engagement, especially in relation to the gender politics of the present moment where there are concerns about the spread of ‘toxic masculinity’ online and influencers such as Andrew Tate, the study is timely in examining the broad range of young men’s online experiences, Professor Keddie added.

‘We aim to uncover these factors through a youth-centred and creative qualitative approach, using focus groups and individual interviews with 100 boys and young men from a range of backgrounds.’

The research will guide eSafety’s foundational work on men and boys and will serve as a basis for further work in this area, supporting existing national educational and campaigning efforts about boys’ and men’s role in supporting gender respect.

Project funding

This project is funded by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner.