The Mainstreaming of Male Supremacist Ideology: Empirical Insights from a TikTok Case Study

• In Event: Digital Justice and Online Harm: Emerging Frontiers in Crime and Ideology

Abstract

The migration of male supremacist actors to digital spaces and their subsequent spread across mainstream social media raise concerns about their discourse reaching and influencing a broader audience. More specifically, this “mainstreaming” of male supremacy poses the risk of normalizing harmful gender norms, potentially fostering a climate where gender-based violence and inequality become more permissible. However, few studies have focused on the mainstreaming of fringe ideologies, and the concept of “mainstreaming” has remained poorly defined until now. Rothut et al. (2024) propose a 12-factor model of mainstreaming that could facilitate empirical research on the phenomenon in question. The present study uses the model to understand the mainstreaming of male supremacy. Its aims are: 1) to describe and understand the mainstreaming of male supremacy using Rothut et al.’s (2024) model; and 2) to describe and understand the limitations of the model. The analysis of a sample of 670 TikToks reveals that some factors are particularly prominent, especially dog whistling, the undermining of specific discourses and terms, as well as the visual elements factor. The model could be further expanded by integrating audio elements, direct interactions with the public, and scientific appeals as mainstreaming factors.

Authors

• Traian Toma, University of Montreal

• David Décary-Hétu, Université de Montréal

• Samuel Tanner, Université de Montréal