A new Scottish Government campaign aimed at tackling online misogyny is now underway after launching on Monday 16th of February 2026.
The public information drive seeks to encourage boys and young men to think carefully before liking, sharing or interacting with sexist content online.
Running for five weeks across platforms including Instagram, Snapchat, Twitch and YouTube, alongside outdoor advertising, the campaign highlights how misogynistic content can cause real world harm to women and girls.
It also includes messaging aimed at parents to help them understand the scale of online misogyny and support conversations with young people.
First Minister John Swinney said:
“Social media plays a significant role in most young people’s lives, and the rise of online misogyny means that young boys and men are often seeing harmful, sexist content even when they have not been searching for it.
“This is deeply concerning, particularly given that so many of these young audiences may be easily influenced.
“Our campaign is designed to make boys and young men aware of the impact of sexist content on social media and how interacting with that can harm the women and girls they know in the real world, including their sisters, friends and classmates.
“By choosing not to like, share or comment on sexist content online, boys and men can help stop it spreading.
“Ensuring equality for women and girls, and protecting them from harm, is central to building a fairer Scotland.
Violence against women and girls in all forms including online is completely unacceptable, and the Scottish Government will continue to do everything we can to eradicate it.”
White Ribbon Scotland Project Lead Rebekah MacLeod said:
“Everyone has a role to play in ending violence against women and girls, but especially men and boys.
“There is often a disconnect in understanding of how the content that young people consume and share online, impacts upon how they see, speak to, and treat the women and girls around them.
“In an online world shaped by algorithms and increasingly divisive and dangerous narratives, harmful attitudes can be normalised, reinforced, and rewarded at speed and scale.
“We cannot emphasise just how important this campaign is.
“This campaign empowers men and boys to understand that they play a powerful role by choosing not to engage or share this harmful content.”
The campaign forms part of wider efforts to address violence against women and girls and to challenge harmful attitudes before they take root.
