Did Adolescence cause a surge of users to an incel forum?

The hit show Adolescence, which explores a young woman’s murder by a classmate, launched an international conversation about youth radicalisation. 

As reported by the i Paper, it also appears to have driven increased engagement on one of the internet’s most notorious extremist forums. The forum is known “for misogynistic rants and posts that idolise men who have killed girls and women, as well as a fixation on how to change your looks to get a sexual partner.” 

Dr. Tim Squirrell, ISD’s Director of Communications, spoke to the i Paper and noted that while the spike in users is notable, the real concern is the intensity of fanaticism on the site.  

“We should be more concerned about the level of investment that individuals have in it as a community which is known to promote a variety of harms, and we do know that there are extremely committed members who spend a lot of time on the site,” Tim said. 

Read the full article here.