In the age of hyperconnectivity, the internet was envisioned as a space of creativity, global connection, and boundless opportunity. Yet alongside these positive outcomes lies a disturbing undercurrent, particularly visible across social media, messaging apps, and dating platforms. It’s a question we kept confronting during our recent research:
Why does it seem like so many men online are driven by unchecked lust and digital misbehavior?
This isn’t just anecdotal. Over the course of several months, we conducted a qualitative study across a wide range of online platforms Facebook groups, dating apps like Bumble and Tinder, niche sites such as Thai dating apps, and public Telegram channels. What we uncovered wasn’t just disappointing it was deeply troubling.
What We Found: A Disturbing Pattern of Digital Behavior
Across these platforms, we witnessed a recurring and alarming trend:
- Floods of fake male profiles target women with unsolicited and often vulgar messages.
- Sexual harassment in safe spaces, including women-only groups and LGBTQ+ communities, particularly those involving trans and non-binary individuals.
- An elderly woman’s innocent post seeking companionship on Facebook resulted in more than 1,000 desperate comments from men, some of them disturbingly explicit.
But perhaps the most horrifying pattern involved minors being harassed by adult men, some as young as 13 or 14, receiving unsolicited nude photos or sexual messages. Many of these messages were sent from anonymous or fake profiles, highlighting how predators hide behind the digital veil.
A Culture of Lust, Virality, and Voyeurism
This behavior isn’t isolated to private chats or dating apps; it’s part of a broader internet culture obsessed with sexual content, attention, and notoriety.
On Telegram channels, Facebook pages, and WhatsApp groups, we found:
- The illegal trading of pornographic material, including leaked private videos of women and celebrities sold for mere USD like black-market goods.
- Users are promoting explicit and degrading content to gain followers or viral status. Some were seen eating feces, harming animals, or engaging in humiliating acts all for views, clout, and “likes.”
- A transactional view of sex and fame, where dignity is secondary to attention, and boundaries dissolve in the race for validation.
It’s not simply about lust; it’s a broken system where fame, voyeurism, and fantasy are pursued at the expense of ethics and empathy.
Why Is This Happening?
The roots of this online epidemic are deep and multi-layered. Here’s what our study suggests:
Anonymity as Armor
The ability to create fake accounts and hide one’s identity emboldens many to behave in ways they never would offline. This cloak of invisibility creates a playground for manipulation and harassment.
Digital Ignorance and Lack of Sex Education
Many users, particularly young men, have never received proper education around consent, healthy sexuality, or digital etiquette. They mistake virtual spaces as lawless zones, failing to understand that online abuse has real-world harm.
Porn Addiction and Desensitization
The internet makes adult content instantly accessible. Over time, this can lead to desensitization, reducing empathy and increasing the objectification of women. In many cases, the boundary between personal relationships and pornographic expectations becomes dangerously blurred.
Toxic Masculinity and Male Peer Pressure
In male-dominated digital spaces, harassing women or sharing sexual content becomes a badge of honor. Toxic attitudes are amplified, not challenged, creating echo chambers of disrespect and dehumanization.
Platforms Failing to Moderate
Despite having community standards, many tech platforms are overwhelmed, underfunded, or indifferent. Harmful accounts are rarely banned, reports go unacknowledged, and victims are left unheard further empowering harassers.
Who Is Most Affected?
- Women, regardless of age, location, or intent, be it sharing a travel photo, seeking friendship, or looking for love, face constant unwanted attention and sexualized commentary.
- LGBTQ+ individuals, especially trans women and ladyboys, are fetishized, mocked, and disproportionately targeted.
- Minors, tragically, are the most vulnerable. Some as young as 12 are being preyed upon by adult men under fake identities. The emotional and psychological scars of such interactions can last a lifetime.
The Internet Isn’t Lustful People Are
What this reveals is clear: the internet is not inherently to blame. It simply reflects the behaviors and values of those who use it.
Without accountability, education, and cultural change, digital spaces will continue to spiral into chaos and exploitation. This issue is not just about moderation or app design, it’s about how we, as a society, raise our children, educate our young men, and respond to harm.
We must:
- Prioritize digital consent education in schools and communities.
- Hold platforms responsible for protecting vulnerable users and removing harmful content.
- Support victims, and ensure their voices are heard and validated.
- Challenge toxic behaviors not just online, but in everyday conversations, friendships, and family dynamics.
Summary
The internet mirrors who we are. If the reflection is disturbing, the solution isn’t to smash the mirror it’s to change the person staring back. Until men and society as a whole learn to treat others online with dignity, consent, and care, this pattern of digital lust and dehumanization will only worsen. It’s time we stop normalizing online misbehavior as “just how men are on the internet” and start demanding better from ourselves, from our communities, and from the platforms we use.