Monetized misogyny: YouTube channels linked to the 'machosphere' profit from content that hates women
- Rafaela Campos da Silva
- Apr 14
- 1 min read
Updated: Apr 28
Jornal O Globo - April 14, 2025
“Become a member of the channel and help spread this message.” It is with phrases like these that YouTube channels linked to the “machosphere” generate thousands of reais with speeches that preach control over women, delegitimize feminism and reinforce gender stereotypes. The profit comes from donations in live broadcasts, sales of courses, e-books, subscriptions and advertisements — monetizations that, despite growing, are not transparent on the part of the platforms and contribute to the proliferation of so-called red pills.
A survey conducted by the Observatory of the Industry of Disinformation and Gender Violence on Digital Platforms, an initiative of NetLab UFRJ in partnership with the Ministry of Women, mapped the existence of misogynistic content on at least 137 Brazilian channels on YouTube. The channels produce more than 105 thousand videos and have, on average, 152 thousand subscribers.
Around 80% of these channels adopt at least one form of monetization, and live broadcasts tend to be more profitable. The study showed that, in 257 live broadcasts from eight channels, more than R$68 thousand were raised — an average value of R$267 per live broadcast. In the case of the sale of advertised e-books, the prices offered vary between R$17.90 and R$397. In addition, there are courses sold for up to R$2 thousand and individual consultations with influencers for values that reach R$1 thousand.
