How incel TikTok accounts are rebranding to avoid getting banned
After the success of the Netflix series Adolescence, discussions around the incel-related belief that only a small group of men are the main focus of women’s attraction have gained major traction online.
And now, a recent study points out that, despite platforms like TikTok having strict rules against hateful content, users pushing incel ideology are finding ways to bypass these filters by rebranding their messages into more ‘acceptable’ formats, such as using coded language, while ensuring their content slips through the cracks.
@donttripwegotu Play to your strengths #foryou #podcast
♬ original sound - Don’t Trip
What is incelism and its core beliefs?
One of the core beliefs of this ideology is that society operates based on a hierarchy of physical appearance. This often leads to the spread of misogynistic, pseudo-scientific theories surrounding self-improvement and attractiveness, which are increasingly popular within these groups. A central claim of these views is that there is an ideal form of masculinity, and women are too blamed for perpetuating it.
On TikTok, certain accounts are reportedly promoting the concept of the PSL scale, named after three incel websites: PUAhate, Sluthate, and Lookism.net. This scale ranks men from one to eight based on their attractiveness, from “PSL gods” (very attractive) to “Chads” (generally attractive) to “Sub5s”(unattractive men).
As reported by The Independent, Anda Solea, a lecturer and researcher at the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, noted that “Sub5s” are men or boys who see themselves as unattractive, rejected by women, or victimised by society. This group includes self-identified “incels,” but also individuals who may not subscribe fully to the “incel” ideology yet share similar feelings of rejection or victimisation by women.
@itsactuallyover0 Eye color saves me #eyes #looks #looksmax #looksmaxing #mogged #mogger #goviral #xyzbca #eyecolor
♬ оригинальный звук - elahoa
Another incel-related belief that is gaining traction online is the idea that 80 per cent of women are only attracted to 20 per cent of men, a theory that was recently featured in Adolescence.
What’s looksmaxxing? The extreme measures some men take to ‘level up’ their looks
Looksmaxxing is an online movement where men obsessively work to enhance their physical appearance, focusing on features like jaw shape, eye angles, and facial symmetry. This community uses a unique set of terms such as IPDs (interpupillary distance), canthal tilt, and mewing (a tongue exercise aimed at shaping the jaw) to measure and improve their “sexual market value” (SMV).
Originally rooted in incel communities, looksmaxxing has now moved to mainstream platforms like TikTok, where influencers and viral videos promote idealised images of chiselled jaws and “hunter’s eyes.”
@oscar.patel How to get prominent cheekbones 🫡 #looksmaxing #looksmax #glowup #cheekbones
♬ original sound - oscar.patel
The process known as looksmaxxing is promoted, with the belief that men can improve their standing on the scale through various means, from gym workouts to extreme measures like altering their jaw structure with a hammer.
@babystickley I should add, the changes to your bone structure will only occur if you test max throughout puberty. #looksmax#selfimprovement#glowup#advice
♬ Genesis - do.not.disturb.alondra
What’s shocking is that beneath these videos, there’s a tidal wave of young teenage boys pleading for procedures to alter their appearance, expressing deep self-hatred over the way they look. Many are willing to go to extreme lengths to change their faces, showing how far they’re willing to push themselves in pursuit of the “ideal” image.
@nature_enjoyerr 3 months result #fyp #looksmax #glowup
♬ оригинальный звук - CentRal | ま 🤍
@iamjerryl trust the process🤞🏻#looksmaxing #glowup #transformation
♬ NUNCA MUDA? - Scythermane & NXGHT! & MC Fabinho da Osk
What code words do incels use to bypass TikTok’s community guidelines?
As previously mentioned, while the term “incel” is banned on TikTok, and users are shown a content warning linking it to hateful behaviour, the platform still surfaces a variety of related content when users search for terms like “Sub5.”
Solea explained to The Independent that these accounts aim to attract larger audiences and remain accepted by platform guidelines by using rebranded language. Terms like “Sub5s” and “PSL scale” allow them to avoid being banned, while still subtly promoting misogynistic views.
She went on to add: “By presenting these theories in less offensive terms, such as the 80:20 rule, they’re able to avoid direct insults and appear less hostile, which helps them stay within TikTok’s rules.”
While TikTok enforces strict rules against harmful content, the use of coded language and rebranded terms like “looksmaxxing” and “Sub5” allows incel-related ideologies to continue thriving on the platform. As of now, “looksmaxxing” has garnered over 143 k posts, and “Sub5” has amassed more than 18.7 million posts, showing how these rephrased messages are still reaching and influencing a large audience, despite attempts to regulate them.
