In recent years, the “tradwife” movement has shifted from far-right internet subculture to mainstream social media trend, becoming particularly popular among young people. In case you haven’t heard this term before, a “tradwife” is someone who preaches the gospel of rigid gender roles and biblical submissiveness, glamorizing a 1950s housewife aesthetic while calling for some variation of a “return to tradition.” Online “tradwife” influencers have gained a large following on platforms like TikTok.
According to a fantastic new Media Matters study, TikTok’s “For You” page recommendation algorithm pushes users who interact with “tradwife” content down far-right conspiracy theory rabbit holes. This extremist content often expounds medical misinformation and anti-government content, specifically warning about a supposedly impending “civil war.” Other content fearmongers about a coming apocalypse and conspiracy theories.
It may seem strange that TikTok’s algorithm would push users from “tradwife” influencers to extremist far-right content. Media Matters’ Olivia Little explains the phenomenon:
“Nearly every tradwife influencer we identified pushed baseless right-wing conspiracy theories and right-wing talking points, often focusing on a general distrust of the government and modern medicine. These messages were positioned between soft visuals of baking, gardening, and modest fashion.”
This is yet another example of how social media platforms are pulling their users into an extremist abyss.
