TikTok spreads harmful masculinity trends among German teens

TikTok videos from the so‑called “Manosphere” urge teenage boys to perform risky rituals such as “bonesmashing,” where they strike their facial bones with a hammer in the belief that tiny fractures will give a more masculine look. One 15‑year‑old, identified only as Elias, says he once felt the pain but later “it doesn’t hurt much anymore.” He spends up to eight hours a day on the platform and reports that a third to a quarter of the clips he sees promote such behaviour, alongside advice to drink raw eggs, avoid women and adopt domineering attitudes.

Medical experts warn the practice is unsafe: facial‑bone surgeon Jörg Wiltfang explains that true micro‑fractures are unlikely; any visible change is caused by swelling of soft tissue, which can lead to bruising and scarring. In response, Berlin educator Maximilian Schneider runs school workshops titled “The Freedom I Mean,” offering two weekly sessions that discuss identity, diversity, discrimination and healthy masculinity. The program aims to give young men alternative role models and counter the misogynistic messages circulating on TikTok.