Social Media’s Attack on Teenage Boys: A Father’s Guide to Using Proverbs 5

Fathers, your sons are under attack.

Photo by Abdullah Raafat on Unsplash

Fathers, it’s your responsibility to equip your son with the tools he needs to navigate the enemy’s schemes, which are designed to destroy his life. If you rely on “youth ministry” to do your job for you, your son is in trouble. Covenant Eyes and similar tools are no longer enough in the face of today’s social media algorithms. These platforms actively work against you and your sons, preying on boys and men with harmful content. This issue goes far beyond software monitoring and accountability groups.

Framing it in terms of a war against them makes the whole conversation less awkward. You are preparing them for battle.

Teenage boys are increasingly targeted by social media algorithms that push explicit content, including pornography, directly onto their feeds—even without their active search. This isn’t just an unfortunate side effect; it’s a deliberate strategy to exploit engagement metrics for profit, regardless of the psychological and spiritual harm inflicted on young men. These algorithms don’t simply respond to user behavior—they manipulate it, luring teens into addictive cycles.

Here’s what you need to understand and what you can to protect your sons...