Understanding the Cel: Vulnerability, Violence and In(ter)vention
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Department Name: Information Studies
Abstract
This project aims to transform awareness and understanding of the "Incel' community (Involuntary Celibates), and the contexts in which susceptible young men are indoctrinated into misogynistic extremism and in some cases, mass murder. Creative research methods are core to the approach due to the research team's experience of using these methods with disenfranchised communities (e.g. Incels and neurodivergent groups) as well as the practices of Incels, which employ digital art-making within the processes of indoctrination. Working in collaboration with both counter-terrorism command and Prevent programming with the Metropolitan Police (MET) and Police Scotland, the project builds on the research team's previous experiences, using interdisciplinary and creative methods to develop training for professionals working in the contexts of education, health, social care and the criminal justice system. Through the development of an expert interdisciplinary network, novel methods, and a socially engaged approach, the project's preventative orientation seeks to save the lives of potential victims as well as perpetrators. This will be achieved through the development of new knowledge about the culture of Incels, the identities and experiences of this complex community and the factors contributing to the risk of extreme violence and hate crimes. In partnership with the Met and Police Scotland we will develop (i) training and resources to be used in identifying and working with Incel members; (ii) establish and consult with an expert interdisciplinary network towards a preventative programme; (iii) communicate new knowledge to enhance public awareness and understanding through creative media and publications.
Publications
Peer Productions
(2025)
MAN UP PSHE TEACHER' PACK
Peer Productions
(2025)
Education Materials: Man Up Peer productions
| Title | MAN UP |
| Description | Man Up: Mediating Misogyny is an Educational Theatre project which uses an ethnodrama approach to amplify our research on Understanding Misogyny. The play is informed by the project's published findings and the writer/director, Nina Lemon consulted with the project team, prior to devising the work with young theatre artists (aged 18-25) trained by Peer productions. |
| Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Impact | Man-Up will tour secondary schools with a digital version available for wider audiences. Accompanied by a teachers' pack, the play translates the research into accessible content aimed at driving social change. By fostering empathy and critical reflection, the project will challenge harmful ideologies and contribute to lasting cultural shifts. The tour is in March/April 2025 so impact is pending but for the young people engaged in the devising process, impact will be monitored |
| URL | https://www.peerproductions.co.uk/plays/man-up |
| Description | The research has continued to build on our key findings from the fieldwork and the Safer Scrolling report, which highlighted the need for a more holistic and embedded approach to digital literacy. We have engaged with over 120 young people nationwide, exploring their expectations for digital education and co-developed the concept of 'digital nutrition'-a framework for fostering healthier online interactions. Key findings reveal that current digital education is struggling to keep pace with rapidly evolving online environments, leaving both young people and educators overwhelmed. Teachers report a reactive approach to digital harms-such as misinformation, misogyny, self-harm, and online gambling-while young people describe the dual nature of their digital experiences. They value the independence, safety, and connectivity digital platforms provide but also grapple with issues like anxiety, fragmented attention, and online risks. A lack of accountability from social media companies further exacerbates these challenges. We published a report, "Safer Scrolling" in 2024. It found that harmful content is gamified and presented as entertainment through the algorithmic processes of social media platforms. As a result, ideologies, such as sexism and misogyny, are normalised amongst young people and seep into their everyday interactions. In response, it is essential to include boys as part of discussions regarding online misogyny, as hardline approaches can entrench negative ideologies and ways of thinking. There is a need for a healthy digital diet approach to education to support young people, schools, parents and the community at large. |
| Exploitation Route | Our analysis underscores the need to rethink digital relationships-not just in terms of screen time but in understanding the varying impacts of different types of online engagement. Our second report, due to be published in Spring 2025, proposes a new framework for digital literacy that shifts from restrictive measures to an approach that empowers young people to navigate their digital worlds with confidence and balance. These outputs will sit alongside academic publications, which are currently under review. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education |
| URL | https://www.ascl.org.uk/ASCL/media/ASCL/Help%20and%20advice/Inclusion/Safer-scrolling.pdf |
| Description | Since the publication of the Safer Scrolling Report and the teams ongoing research (which includes the development of educational resources with teachers and young people with ASCL, due for publication in Spring 2025), there has been further societal impact including both frequent policy engagement at local and national level, as well as frequent media appearances. This includes the research team playing a key role in development of policy for Greater London Authority, as well as consulting with the National Education Union (the largest teaching union in the UK) on their development of a new "safer phones" bill. This engagement with the NEU has led to further initiatives with multisector stakeholders including Health Professionals for Safer Screens; MPs (Josh MacAlister); More In Common; Centre for Young Lives and Smartphone Free Childhood. Additionally, the findings generated over 300 articles including The Guardian, and BBC Radio 4 'Woman's Hour' (from 46 mins 45 secs), which sparked a grassroots movement 'Smartphone Free Childhood' which currently has 80,000 members. They are now driving calls for better understanding and increased restrictions on smartphones during childhood. The Shadow Education Minister has pledged to implement the research's recommendations across the national curriculum and Ofcom has identified the issues of 'safer algorithms' in their new consultation regarding online harms. The PI on this project has advised on the Online Safety Act in this area. In media appearances, the research continues to make national news, with the PI appearing on national news programs including BBC Women's Hour, ITV News and with James O'Brien on LBC for their Safer Internet Day programming. In these appearances she highlighted how questions (raised by the ICO's recent investigation into TikTok's use of children's personal information) link to the research and outputs of the project - how algorithms popularise and gamify online hate and misogyny for young people. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Description | Consultation for Private Members Bill |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Endorsement of Recommendations by Labour Shadow education Secretary |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | Early conversations with policy makers and technology companies have highlighted the potential changing guidance and recommendations for schools of technology use, as well as new policies for TikTok moderators. |
| Description | Impact Accelerator Award |
| Amount | £9,997 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 777116 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2025 |
| End | 12/2025 |
| Description | Partnership with Association of School and College Leaders |
| Organisation | Association of School and College Leaders |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | During the first year of the award, we have developed relationships with the Association of School and College Leaders as they raised to us their concerns from their members about online misogyny and the impact of social media. The research team worked with policy leads and inclusion specialists at ASCL to develop a report, released by ASCL in early 2024 to highlight the role of social media recommender algorithms in spreading online misogyny and hate. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Policy and inclusion leads at ASCL have facilitated access to their membership to support interviews and best practice case-studies, as well as invited the research team as presenters to ASCL conferences. ASCL have also facilitated dialogues with the Labour party, who responding to the report released with ASCL, the Shadow Education Minister, MP Bridget Philipson has publicly pledged to implement our recommendations and has questioned how the tech industry infrastructure underpinning these algorithmic processes should be held accountable. |
| Impact | Presentation of report findings at the ASCL annual Pastoral Conference in Birmingham (January 2024) Release of Report: "SAFER SCROLLING: How algorithms popularise and gamify online hate and misogyny for young people" https://www.ascl.org.uk/ASCL/media/ASCL/Help%20and%20advice/Inclusion/Safer-scrolling.pdf |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CPD Workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Workshops on understanding neurodiversity, gender and adolescent mental health. These led to increased understanding of how to support autistic young people, and more awareness of their sensory needs. Teachers recognised the need for adaptations in classroom environments and curriculum. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | https://thebeacon.kent.sch.uk/ |
| Description | Chair and Keynote Speaker: Roundtable with Mayoral Candidates Theme: Violence against Women and Girls with Emphasis on Conviction Rates for Gender-based Violence |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Closed presentation and discussion with the London Mayoral candidates about the problem of misogyny in London schools. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Incels and Tackling Violent Misogyny |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Panel Discussion, Hosted by Luke Pollard, MP, Houses of Parliament. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Interview for BBC Documentary: Hunting the Online Sex Predators |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Kaitlyn Regehr was interviewed in BBC documentary to explores how algorithms shape our online experience and investigates whether social media is promoting harmful content, where she describes the learning from the research on algorithm gamification and misogyny. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028dr2 |
| Description | Interview for ITV Documentary |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Kaitlyn Regehr was interviewed as part of the ITV documentary "Social Media Murders", discussing INCEL violence and popularisation through social media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.itv.com/watch/social-media-murders/10a1710/10a1710a0005 |
| Description | Media coverage public facing report |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | To date, there have been over 300 articles reporting on the findings including The Guardian's front page, and BBC Radio 4 'Woman's Hour' (from 46 mins 45 secs), and parent movements are now increasingly driving calls for better understanding and increased restrictions on smartphones during childhood. Some other national and international coverage includes: Daily Mail, The Telegraph, Evening Standard, Independent, The Times (£), Herald, Yahoo! News, New York Post, O Globo (Brazil), Daily Mail (2), The Times (2), LBC, Irish Examiner, Belfast Telegraph, Sky News Australia, WION (India), HLN (Belgium), Die Presse (Austria), MK (Russia), Business Insider España, El Nacional Catalan, Index (Hungary), Genbeta (Spain), Trouw (Netherlands) Broadcast: BBC Radio 4 'Woman's Hour' (from 46 mins 45 secs), Times Radio 'Times Radio Breakfast' (from 24 mins 32 secs), BBC Radio Wales |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmedia%2F2024... |
| Description | Participation on National Education Panel: Labour Party Conference, Liverpool |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participation in expert panel for the national education panel at the Labour Conference, which sparked further conversations with the National Education Union and politicians about digital literacy, the online safety act and the need for further research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Participation on Panel: Disagreeing Well |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Kaitlyn Regehr was part of the UCL "Disagreeing Well" public series, titled Disagreeing Well in an online world: This second event in our Disagreeing Well public series brought together a highly acclaimed panel of speakers, chaired by Ayesha Hazarika, broadcaster and Times Radio presenter. The panel discussed the impact that social media platforms have on our society, and how we can better communicate with people who hold very different views to our own. The event examined the rise of misinformation online and the damage it can cause, as well as the opportunities that communicating online can bring. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/about/disagreeing-well/events |
| Description | Participation on Panel: Misinformation and its Impact on London's Communities with the Greater London Authority |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participation in an expert panel for Greater London Authority members, community groups and local authorities |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Safer Scrolling: Implications for Schools |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation at Association of School Leaders Pastoral Conference to pastoral leads. Impact including ongoing collaboration with ASCL and school leaders about implementing programs into target schools. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | School Visit (Nationwide) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Since the release of the Safer Scrolling report in 2024, the research team has been undertaking events and workshops in schools across the country to discuss with young people their own experiences of online harm, and to co-produce a series of recommendations for digital literacy. To date, the team have worked with over 120 students in 8 schools in London, the Southeast and the Northeast. Afterwards, a number of the schools have implemented changes into their digital safeguarding curriculums that implements the projects findings and recommendations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Social Media & Violence Reduction, London Research and Policy Partnership, Mayor of London, London Research and Policy Partnership |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Social Media & Violence Reduction, London Research and Policy Partnership, Mayor of London, London Research and Policy Partnership |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |