Digital Masculinities and Digital Wellbeing - Research Project report

This report presents a summary of findings and recommendations from the EPSRC/NortHFutures funded project on Digital Masculinities and Digital Wellbeing, which explored how young people engage with digital spaces, online influencers, and constructions of masculinity. Drawing on interviews and focus groups with young people and workshops with adults working with young people, the research highlights the complex role of digital platforms in shaping digital engagement, wellbeing, social relationships, and perceptions of gender.

The findings challenge common assumptions that young men are uniformly influenced by toxic online content. Instead, participants demonstrated nuanced understandings of the risks and benefits of digital engagement, and evidenced a need for open, non-judgemental spaces to discuss controversial topics, relationships, masculinity, and broader social issues, particularly when they express perspectives that may be less inclusive.