- Incel social media accounts are rebranding through 'looksmaxxing' - a trend which encourages people to change their appearance to attract women and girls, including with extreme cosmetic procedures like DIY 'bonesmashing' techniques
- The study suggests incel accounts use the content to avoid moderation and being banned from platforms, because the trend appears scientific or unoffensive
- The findings highlight how incel ideology is becoming more appealing to a wider and younger audience, driven heavily by social media and influencers
A new study carried out by cybercrime and gender experts at the University of Portsmouth has revealed that incel social media accounts are rebranding to bypass bans and appeal to wider audiences on TikTok.
Incels are involuntary celibate males who believe they are unable to form romantic or sexual relationships despite wanting to. Some incels are associated with misogynistic, extreme, and sometimes violent ideologies - specifically against women - which include the 2021 Plymouth shooting and the portrayal of fictional character Jamie Miller in the Netflix show Adolescence.
The research , published in Crime, Media, Culture, explored how incel content has spread from niche online spaces to mainstream platforms. The team analysed 25 months of data from four looksmax.org posts, eight Incels.Wiki pages, 23 accounts and 332 videos from TikTok, and a selection of hashtags and views metrics from the social media platform.
It introduces a new framework to explain how extreme ideas from isolated online communities spread to mainstream social media platforms, where they can quickly reach millions.
The 'Digital Subcultural Diffusion Theory' traced how content and language originating in 'incel' forums migrated to TikTok, by accounts repackaging misogynistic and racist content to appear less extreme.
"Younger and vulnerable users are particularly susceptible to this approach, which shapes their attitudes and beliefs," explained lead author Anda Solea , Lecturer in Cybercrime from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Portsmouth. "Platform algorithms, trending features, and viral content mechanisms supercharge this spread, exposing millions to harmful ideologies."
Incel terms and tactics to look out for
The study revealed several tactics used by account holders to hide offensive content, including replacing the term 'incels' with 'sub5s' - which refers to men or boys who view themselves as unattractive, rejected, or 'mistreated' by women - and the use of incel-linked terminology like 'looksmaxxing' and 'PSL Gods' to gain popularity. This emphasises how the content has become easily accessible by avoiding moderation on social media platforms.
Meanwhile, hashtags linked to the incel community - such as PSL, pslgod, mogging, looksmaxxing, and mewing - have racked up billions of views on TikTok. Some, such as 'pslgods', have hundreds of millions of views, while others like 'pslscale' are in the hundreds of thousands.
The term "PSL" is an acronym originating from the name of three now-defunct incel-adjacent forums (Puahate.com, Sluthate.com, and Lookism.net), and it's used to judge someone's facial attractiveness based on strict racialised and gendered beauty standards.
Hashtags related to this rating system (like #pslgods and #mogging), as well as those tied to self-improvement trends promoted in these circles (such as #mewing and #bonesmashing), are going viral, highlighting their growing influence on the platform.
How 'looksmaxxing' is changing attitudes and faces
Linked to the PSL ideology, the 'looksmaxxing' trend has gone viral over the past few months, being embraced by children and teenagers. 'Looksmaxxing' content on TikTok ranges from seemingly harmless beauty hacks - like using minoxidil to combat hair loss - to drastic and dangerous methods, including growth hormones to boost height, extreme cosmetic surgeries, and DIY 'bonesmashing' techniques aimed at reshaping the face. The goal is for men and boys to surpass the 'sub5' status and become attractive.
Anda Solea added: "The rebranding of the term 'incels' to 'sub5s', coupled with the 'looksmaxxing' trend have made the association with the incel ideology more accessible and relatable, introducing it to young people who might not have had contact with the incel community before."
The role of influencers like Andrew Tate
The study also highlights that influencers and public figures, like Andrew Tate, have increased the impact of incel groups and the 'manosphere' - a group of online communities where people talk about topics related to masculinity and anti-feminism.
Co-author Professor Lisa Sugiura , Professor in Cybercrime and Gender at the University of Portsmouth, said: "These subtle yet clever strategies are intended to resonate with a wider audience, including those who may not be familiar with the complexities of incel ideology.
"The key issue is that social media platforms may not always be able to determine if it's being used in a hateful or bullying way. As platforms like TikTok continue to grow in popularity, greater efforts are needed to address the increasing presence of incel activity on such spaces."
The study builds on previous research by the University of Portsmouth team that explored the role of TikTok in spreading videos encouraging violence against women and girls (VAWG). This highlighted a serious problem and emphasised the need for additional research into how these ideas circulate and negatively affect society, particularly in relation to promoting VAWG.
Terminology key
- 'Sub5s' refer to men or boys who view themselves as unattractive, rejected, or mistreated by women
- 'PSL' is an acronym originating from the name of three now-defunct incel-adjacent forums (Puahate.com, Sluthate.com, and Lookism.net)
- 'PSLgods' - international male supermodels like Jordan Barrett and David Gandy which young people are encouraged to look for inspiration
- 'pslscale' and 'mogging' relate to the incel attractiveness scale
- 'Looksmaxxing' is a trend which encourages people to change their appearance to attract women and girls, including with extreme cosmetic procedures
