Quiz
Unpacking Gender Norms & Online Influence
⏱ 5 minutes to honestly assess your knowledge
Your friend says: “Girls don’t play video games seriously; they just watch or play easy games.” What is this an example of?
A personal preference
A stereotype
Gender norms
Both b and c
Explanation: This statement is both a stereotype (a generalisation about girls) and a gender norm. Gender norms are the common ideas in a society about how boys/girls are “supposed” to look, act, or think. They’re like unspoken rules about what’s considered “normal” for each gender at a certain time and place. People usually learn these rules when they’re young, and they can influence how we see ourselves and others. Because of this, gender norms often lead to stereotypes.
Which of these reflects toxic masculinity?
Real men don’t cry
Explanation: Toxic masculinity is when harmful expectations about being a “real man” encourage boys to hide emotions, act aggressively, or avoid asking for help. While masculinity itself isn’t bad, “toxic” versions harm both boys (by stopping them from expressing themselves) and others around them.
Source: Healthline
Everyone should be strong for each other sometimes
It’s fine if boys show kindness
Girls shouldn’t play football
Which of these is misogyny (hatred or devaluing women)?
An influencer says women should only be valued for their looks
Explanation: Misogyny is more than a stereotype. It’s a strong dislike or hatred toward women. Saying women are only valuable for how they look is misogyny because it denies their intelligence, creativity, or contributions to society.
A meme making fun of men for liking romantic movies
Someone says girls are bad at math but good at art
A teacher says “boys and girls can both succeed in science”
A boy keeps sending a girl threatening DMs after she blocks him. Her classmates spread screenshots and laugh, saying “she deserves it.” What forms of online harm are happening here?
Online GBV
Cyberbullying
Hate speech
All of the above
Explanation: This scenario shows overlapping harms: threats based on gender because she is a girl (gender-based-violence), repeated humiliation from her classmates using digital technology (cyberbullying), and hateful language from the boy and the classmates (hate speech). Online harms often overlap, making the impact more damaging and harder to escape. The content also often stays online, making it a more lasting type of violence that is difficult to erase.
A viral post says: “Studies prove cutting out carbs is the only way to lose weight and live longer!” This is:
A stereotype
Misinformation
Explanation: Misinformation spreads false or misleading claims, often disguised as truth. Posts like this can be dangerous because they pretend to use “science” but provide no real evidence. Algorithms push this kind of content because it grabs attention, not necessarily because it’s accurate. In fact, researchers found that many nutrition posts on social media had some kind of false or misleading information, usually about “miracle diets”. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube were the main platforms where this misinformation spread, showing why it’s important to fact-check what you see online before believing it.
Source: López-García, M., Díaz-Silva, A., Tornero-Aguilera, J. F., Sánchez-Pato, A., & Clemente-Suárez, V. J. (2023). Systematic review of nutrition misinformation in social networks. Nutrición Hospitalaria, 40(3), 601–608.
A personal opinion
A joke
You search for “dating tips.” After a week, your feed is starting to look different. If you are a boy, many videos about “how to look confident” show up. If you are a girl, videos on “fashion and skincare” pop-up. What’s happening here?
Influencers that week have decided to post more about this topic. It shows everyone the same results
The algorithm is reinforcing gender stereotypes
Explanation: Algorithms “learn” from patterns in clicks and views. If many men watch bulking videos, the algorithm assumes all boys want the same. This creates an algorithmic reflection that reinforces stereotypes instead of showing diverse choices.
The algorithm is random
This has nothing to do with algorithms
A stranger in a game chat asks a 14-year-old to share personal photos and says: “Don’t tell anyone, or I’ll hack your account.” What is this?
Cyberbullying
Online grooming
Explanation: Online grooming is when an adult manipulates or pressures a young person into sharing private or sexual content. Groomers often use threats or secrecy to trap their victims. Recognising it early is key to staying safe.
Source: Childline UK
Internet addiction
Consent
“If I ignore hateful comments online, they will stop.”
True
False
Explanation: Ignoring sometimes helps but often hate escalates if it’s not addressed. Better strategies include blocking, reporting, saving evidence, and talking to someone you trust. Online safety is about recognising risk and knowing how to act.
You see a meme that says: “Boys don’t belong in the kitchen.” What could you do?
Share it because it’s just a joke
Ignore it completely
Call it out or share a positive example that breaks the stereotype
Explanation: Jokes that rely on stereotypes reinforce harmful beliefs. By calling it out or sharing counterexamples, you help shift the conversation. Small actions like this can change what spreads online and what doesn’t.
Send it to your friend to laugh at together
A displaced girl due to the war received a private message from an unknown account offering “easy online work” that pays in cash if she sends personal pictures and helps recruit others. She considers the job to support her family during hard times. What could be a possible risk for her?
There is no risk, because it is only pictures
There is the risk that she suffers sextortion and exploitation
Explanation: These are often scams that involve sextortion and sexual exploitation. Sextortion happens when someone threatens to share your private photos, videos, or personal details unless you send them more, give them money, or do what they say. Sexual exploitation means taking advantage of someone’s difficult situation for sexual purposes, like pressuring them to send sexual images in exchange for money, gifts, or promises of help. Everyone can be a victim. However, because many displaced youths feel stressed about supporting their families or may not have trusted adults around, they can be especially vulnerable. The most important thing to remember is that this is abuse, it’s never your fault, and there are ways to report it and get help.
Source: STOP THE TRAFFIK (2022) Online Safety for Ukrainian Youth
There is a risk of misinformation
There is a risk of cyberbullying
Which of these is true?
Algorithms are evil and can’t be changed
What we click, like, and share teaches algorithms about us
Explanation: Algorithms are not “evil” by themselves. They follow patterns. Every like, comment, and share shapes your feed. That means you can hack your algorithmic reflection: choose content that inspires, teaches, or empowers you, so the system works for you, not against you.
Gender norms only matter offline
Misogyny is the same as bullying
Well done!
You just learned how gender norms, stereotypes, and algorithms shape what we see online.
Remember: you have the power to question harmful messages, challenge stereotypes, and shape a safer, more respectful online space. Are you curious to learn more?
Check out more of the E-mpowerYouth project resources that focus on building digital resilience and prevent online gender-based violence.

