Teenagers as young as 13 years old have the ability to access the top 100 most-viewed videos featuring misogynistic content from Andrew Tate on YouTube, according to a new report. This finding has sparked a demand to include the video platform in Australia’s social media ban for individuals younger than 16.
The US-based Center for Countering Digital Hate established accounts that pretended to be 13-year-old boys and found that they could access Tate’s videos in both the US and the UK, suggesting that these videos would also be accessible in Australia. YouTube banned Tate’s own account in 2022.
The report analyzed nearly 1,900 videos of Tate from YouTube between May 2024 and May 2025, narrowing them down to the 100 most-viewed videos containing misogynistic content, which amounted to nearly 54 million views on the site.
The report highlighted that some of the videos had advertisements running alongside them, indicating that YouTube earns revenue from views of these videos.
YouTube stated that it has removed hundreds of thousands of Tate’s videos and terminated thousands of accounts that attempted to circumvent the ban. However, the platform is yet to review all the videos reported by the center for potential breaches of their policies. YouTube clarified that not all content featuring Andrew Tate will be removed, but any content that violates their community guidelines will be taken down.
The CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, Imran Ahmed, stated that YouTube, like other platforms, struggles to enforce its own rules. He mentioned that the phenomenon of teenagers imitating Andrew Tate is leading to an increase in teenager-on-teenager violence against girls.
The issue has sparked a debate, with researchers highlighting the failure of platforms to create safe environments for children. A study in April found that YouTube recommended manosphere content more than any other type to young male accounts. This echoes the results of a 2022 Australian study.
There has been a war of words between YouTube and the eSafety commissioner, with the regulator recommending that YouTube should not be exempted from the social media ban. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has acknowledged the need to address the impact of social media on young people’s mental health and the issue of exposing young men and boys to graphic material that promotes unhealthy relationships.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/01/teenagers-as-young-as-13-could-view-misogynistic-andrew-tate-videos-on-youtube-report-finds-ntwnfb
