Behind the screens, the flow does not dry up. Between August and mid-December 2025, Arcom recorded approximately 19.600 messages in French that were "potentially sexist" or contained sexist stereotypes, mainly on X and YouTube.
Some fall foul of the law, others slip through the net, less overtly offensive but just as corrosive through sheer repetition and sharing. This is where the regulator hits where it hurts: the accumulation, the virality, the "recipes" for dissemination can create "systemic risks," these diffuse but very real damages that ultimately establish an atmosphere, normalize a stance, and transform the ordinary into a slow poison.
The “grey zone”, the new Eldorado of virality
What's striking about the Arcom survey is the mix of themes: masculinity, antifeminism, transphobia, pornography, insults, "advice" on seduction, and gender stereotypes sometimes mixed with racist undertones. A brutal phrase cited as an example, followed by more subdued discourse on "masculine energy" and "subtle dominance," reveals a clear strategy: to shock, then dress up the underlying message with a veneer of personal development.
And the phenomenon isn't a one-dimensional issue, since 32% of the messages come from accounts identifying themselves as female, a sign that these stereotypes circulate like common currency. Ultimately, the economic and industrial stakes are clear: divisive content generates audience, audience generates revenue, and moderation becomes a balancing act between image, conformity, and profitability, while Arcom calls for greater cooperation and better identification tools without infringing on freedom of expression. In a still-developing regulatory framework, the battle will hinge on the platforms' ability to prove they can rein in the system before it spirals out of control.
