Netflix hits UK schools with "Adolescence" tackling misogyny

The director of "Adolescence," Philip Barantini, shared his excitement on Instagram. The four-episode series, which has sparked conversations about protecting young boys from misogyny on social media, will be screened in British schools. Netflix made this decision after discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street.

"It’s an important initiative to encourage as many pupils as possible to watch the show," said Prime Minister Starmer. He admitted that he watched the series with his 14-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son, adding, "As a father, watching this show with my teenage son and daughter, I can tell you – it hit home hard."

"As I see from my own children, openly talking about changes in how they communicate, the content they’re seeing, and exploring the conversations they’re having with their peers is vital if we are to properly support them in navigating contemporary challenges, and deal with malign influences."

Jack Thorne, who advocates for children not to receive smartphones before age 14, stated that the series was created to spark a conversation. "We hope it’ll lead to teachers talking to the students, but what we really hope is it’ll lead to students talking amongst themselves," he emphasized.

Starmer also referenced real-life cases, such as that of Kyle Clifford—a murderer who consumed misogynistic content before killing his ex-girlfriend, her mother, and sister.

He emphasized that in the era of social media, ideologies can be "directly fed into our children's minds." "There is no single 'political switch' that could solve this," he remarked. "It is a much larger problem, almost cultural—the devastating impact of misogyny on our society."

Jack Thorne expressed hope that the series will help initiate important discussions. "It's about giving others a chance for conversations they haven't had before, which can lead to policy changes and improve the situation of young people," he said to Sky News.

According to British media, in addition to screening the series, special classes will be conducted in schools to sensitize students to the psychological violence their peers may experience or encounter online. Even in primary schools, children will be encouraged to "express and understand boundaries, cope with disappointment, and pay attention to their own needs and others'," with content tailored for older students reflecting "the real complexities of romantic and sexual relationships."

"Adolescence" made history in British television as the first streaming series to become the most-watched program of the week worldwide, garnering at least 66.3 million viewers. Data from the BARB rating agency showed that the first episode was watched by 6.45 million people in the first week. These numbers are expected to increase, as "Adolescence" remains in the TOP10 most-watched series list. The series depicts the influence on teenage Jamie from what his peers say about him online. The boy begins to harbor resentment towards girls and women, ultimately leading to the decision to murder his schoolmate.