“Cults are on a spectrum“-

what are the pink flags and red flags that the internet is not addressing to avoid cults like MGTOW?

Red Flags- clear warning signs on the internet.

Pink Flag– coined by famous cult investigator Carrie Poppy a pink flag is a warning sign that is not quite a red flag.

MGTOW– acronym for “Men Going Their Own Way” an online cult focused on eugenics, misogyny, men’s rights, workout regimens (specifically lifting) and red pill ideology (the idea that women control the world and manipulate men).

HASHTAG CULT is a living project investigating online cults and coercive groups that are bolstered by the dangerously unregulated “right to publish” that exists on the internet. 

Before commenting online, do you ever stop and ask yourself “why?”
 The internet has provided a new sphere where our daily thoughts or complaints are now published statements. These statements are permanent, far-reaching and can be weaponized. 

Our ultimate goal is to help make the internet a safer place. Online abuse is rampant and internet companies and online platforms are only making it easier, not harder, for this abuse to continue, providing little if any protections for victims. 

Online platforms are providing a largely uncontrolled space for abuse, harassment, stalking, bullying, sexual grooming, revenge porn, personal attacks, and the spread of hateful ideologies to go unchecked. These systems do not provide adequate protections for victims and do not enforce appropriate consequences on perpetrators. Instead by their very nature these systems actually protect and help perpetuate the loud voices of these abusers, providing a space for them to gain rewards for their bad behavior through likes, comments, and followers, and to form groups and communities designed around hatred, sexism, racism, homophobia, and violence. 

We coined the term HASHTAG CULT to frame what these groups really are. 

HASHTAG CULT– a group that takes advantage of the SEO, algorithm, or general mechanics of the internet to disguise a group of radicals as a general interest in a topic. Using coded terms allows these groups to be difficult to track, and impossible to attribute 1 location to. It is (in our opinion) the modern version of a cult.

What is a Hashtag Cult from Big Weasel Lil Weasel on Vimeo.