Andrew Tate, a social media influencer and former kickboxer, has gone viral due to his controversial, sexist comments on women and the patriarchy. After being called out by other social media users, many of his accounts have been banned due to concerns about the potential impact of his messaging.

“Younger viewers are more susceptible to brainwashing and believing someone they view as a role model- such as Andrew Tate, who is misusing his platform,” said junior Lily Steinau. “His content is extremely misogynistic, even instructing his audience on how to take advantage of women. He is a threat to [our] society and needs to be held accountable for his actions.”

With his dangerous views of how women are property being spread through social media, a serious threat is posed to present-day society. This kind of power over a young audience is quite frightening. 

“To all the people watching this, you will not reach your potential as a man if you do not look in the mirror and compare yourself to Tate. You must understand that you will fail; you are ugly and short. You are none of the things I am. I was specifically put on this planet to remind you all of how much you are failing. You are failing the experience of man because I exist! Only when you accept that and accept your place below me with deep introspection, can you find the inner secrets. Then you are prepared to learn. Now you are an empty vessel in which I can entrust my knowledge,” said Tate in one of his videos.

Tate described his objectives to attempt to make all men similar to him and the frightening reasoning behind why he makes this content. Additionally, Andrew Tate’s house was raided by Romanian police as part of a criminal investigation. A tip was given to the department that multiple women were being held hostage in his residence.

“The fact that he’s a human trafficker proves just how dangerous he is,” said Steinau, referencing the ongoing investigation. 

Tate has said himself the reason he relocated to Romania is due to how he felt local law enforcement were less likely to investigate claims of sexual assault. However, Tate is no stranger to controversial accusations, with him being dismissed from the popular British reality television series “Big Brother” due to a video resurfacing of him slashing a woman with a belt. Tate also has also made some astounding statements that may make one question his rhetoric.

“Will I really die?” Tate seriously asks about his mortality after being questioned on whether or not he fears death. “[There’s] fifty-fifty [odds I will die.] [After all,] I’ve never died yet, let’s put it that way.” Tate shows in another video how he struggles with first-grade addition.

“If you say two plus two is four, but I say two plus two is five. You keep saying it’s four, and now that I’m enraged.” 

Tate shared a mistake of basic arithmetic in one of his videos, before threatening to injure whoever opposes his stubborn belief. Mental health is something that Tate denies the existence of, which is quite unfortunate due to his actions online demonstrating he has trouble empathizing with others and faces a severe superiority complex. While he may be banned from most social media platforms, Tate still has a growing audience due to this controversy.

“While banning him from most social media platforms was the right decision, his impact can never be taken back and he still has supporters that keep spreading his misogynistic views,” added Steinau. 

Even after everything, Tate is still able to appeal to more impressionable audiences. Social progress has been at an all time high in the 21st century, but Tate stands in the way of a more equitable future.