A social media ban is the only way to protect boys from the Manosphere, writes Sadiq Khan

I still remember the nights I spent awake as a boy, wondering about the man I might become. It wasn't until I spoke to my older brothers that I realised that, while the confusion I felt was uncomfortable, it was normal.

Today, boys and young men are still asking the same questions I did – but the kinds of difficult conversations I had are much easier to avoid. That's because, shut away in their bedrooms, a couple of clicks can take them straight to someone who offers a simple but harmful answer.

For many, that is how the journey to 'the manosphere' begins. They want to improve their lives, so they look online for help. Soon enough, their search for answers draws them into a much darker world, where the natural confusion they feel starts to seem like the logical outcome of a system designed to keep men like them in their place.

There's nothing wrong with young men wanting to be better, save money, or lift heavier weights. But manosphere influencers are taking advantage of their ambitions and anxieties to peddle pound shop misogyny dressed up as practical guidance.

The manosphere tells boys and young men to shut themselves down rather than open up, meaning they're often left feeling worthless, nervous and depressed.

Continuing down this path risks a lost generation, with catastrophic consequences for them and the women and girls in their lives. If we are to change course, every one of us must play our part.

On social media, manosphere influencers are rewarded by a rigged system of algorithms designed to feed young men and boys content which keeps them hooked, no matter how horrible it makes them feel. It doesn't have to be this way. I am calling on tech companies to explain how the platforms they've built allow misogyny and other harmful content to spread like wildfire – and to set out a plan to stop it.

If firms refuse to act, the state must step up. Ofcom must show companies that the era of impunity is over by taking a much tougher approach to enforcing the online safety laws we already have.

Where those laws are already falling short, we mustn't be afraid to change them. That includes banning social media for under-16s. From food to pharmaceutical companies, almost every company must prove its products are safe before they're sold, and there is no good reason why social media firms shouldn't do the same. Until they can prove that their platforms are safe for children, a ban is the only way to stem the harms we know are happening right now.

We should not, however, assume that a ban will be a panacea. The 'outrage economy' is failing all of us – men and boys, women and girls. In addition to restricting access to social media for under-16s, we must also build a better online world for everyone.

When it comes to supporting boys and young men, though, this will only take us so far. The manosphere succeeds because it taps into a real demand young men feel for someone who speaks to them – a demand which the rest of society has too often ignored.

'Toxic masculinity' is all too real. But I worry that, in our failure to imagine that 'masculinity' could be anything other than toxic, progressive leaders have too often allowed the conversation around it to become a monopoly market. Rather than engaging young men, we've alienated them.

As Mayor, I'm also working to create offline spaces where young Londoners feel safe and supported. Last month, I announced £30m in new funding to support a late-night youth club in every borough. Today, I've announced a package of policies which will build on this by supporting young men in the places it matters most – from training dads to help them spot and stop the influence of the manosphere, to providing targeted support for thousands of vulnerable boys, and funding a new network of footballing mentors to inspire them.

Growing up, it wasn't just my brothers who helped me understand what it means to be a man – it was my teachers, mates, and mentors, too. If we want to relearn the language of masculinity, tech companies and the government have got to take the megaphones away from manosphere influencers - and the rest of us have got to start talking, too. In London, we're leading the way.

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Sadiq Khan is the Labour Mayor of London.

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