America's young men have long been resistant to societal norms and prone to rebellion.
But it's the rise of two new subcultures on the far-right - the hypersexualized Goons and the neo-Nazi Groypers - that's sparking alarm.
Both subcultures draw energy from young men's sense of alienation, even as they channel that loneliness in very different directions.
They've become objects of concern for everyone from anxious parents to high-profile political leaders.
Groypers are a group of far-right extremists at the heart of an ongoing rupture on the fringes of MAGA.
Led by the controversial white supremacist Nick Fuentes, they are disowned by prominent conservatives such as Ben Shapiro because of their racist, antisemitic views.
Gooners have created a bizarre online community centered on prolonged masturbation and engagement with sexualized content.
It's more than watching pornography; it's an obsessive escape from the real world, often for hours or even days.
Fuentes encourages his followers to shun pornography, but accepts that few do, and thrives on the same sense of detachment that drives the Goons into their 'caves' of porn-fueled numbness.
Do these movements represent a serious social rupture or are they passing online trends of minimal consequence? There are reasons to believe both groups are growing.
Conservative writer Rod Dreher, a friend of JD Vance, told the New York Times that '30 to 40 percent of DC GOP staffers under the age of 30 are Groypers.'
These figures have not been verified.
Followers of white supremacist Nick Fuentes (center), dubbed Groypers, used the gamer messaging platform Discord to develop their movement
Shapiro took to Twitter to share his concern about the Groypers after Carlson's interview with Fuentes
Shapiro sounded the alarm on the Groypers earlier this month tweeting: 'No to the Groypers. No to cowards like Tucker Carlson, who normalize their trash. No to those who champion them. No to demoralization. No to bigotry and anti-meritocratic horseshit. No to anti-Americanism. No.'
The November 3 post got more than 39 million views. Shapiro was referring to Carlson's interview with Fuentes that ignited a blistering civil war over free speech and setting up a defining ideological moment for MAGA.
Carlson was condemned by many conservatives for giving the 27-year-old a 'platform' and the fallout became increasingly bitter as high-profile conservative figures and institutions weighed in and picked sides.
Conservative pundit Marc Thiessen weighed in with a November 5 post.
'If you excuse or promote a Groyper you are as bad as Groyper and should be shunned like a Groyper,' Thiessen tweeted.
Groypers and Gooners have used the gamer messaging platform Discord to develop their movements.
Officials have called out Discord for allowing radicalization to fester on the platform after it was reported that Charlie Kirk's suspected assassin, Tyler Robinson, had an account.
Discord has denied that Robinson used its platform to formulate his alleged plan to gun down the conservative figure, nor used the app in any correspondence regarding any claimed hiding of evidence.
'In the course of our investigation, we identified a Discord account associated with the suspect, but have found no evidence that the suspect planned this incident or promoted violence on Discord,' a spokesman for the company said.
Conservative pundit Thiessen has also openly shared his views on the movement
Tucker Carlson (R) interviewed Nick Fuentes (L), sparking a GOP war over free speech
The Goon Squad, whose members engage in marathon masturbation sessions called Gooning in their 'Gooncaves' (pictured), also use Discord
Donald Trump's attempted assassin, Thomas Crooks, also had an account, which the company also denies was used in any way to plan his July 13, 2024, attempt on the President's life.
Fuentes took to social media after Kirk's assassination and claimed that he and his followers were 'being framed' for the death.
Fuentes turned to X on September 13 to push back against growing claims and insisted there is 'literally zero evidence' supporting the accusations, which he called 'pure evil.'
'My followers and I are currently being framed for the murder of Charlie Kirk by the mainstream media based on literally zero evidence,' Fuentes wrote.
'After the Left gunned him down, they celebrated and justified it. They said I was next. Now they are blaming me. These people are pure evil.'
Kirk, 31, who co-founded Turning Point USA - a nonprofit organization that promotes conservative political ideas, especially among students - was shot and killed on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University as part of his group's 'American Comeback' tour.
Fuentes and Kirk were known to be vehemently opposed to each other. Tensions between the two of them started in 2019 when Kirk was leading his Turning Point group on a college tour.
Fuentes' supporters attended the events and would ask controversial questions to try and make Kirk look like a fake conservative who did not have the same extreme views.
Officials have called out Discord for allowing radicalization to fester on the platform after it was reported that Charlie Kirk's suspected assassin, Tyler Robinson, had an account. The company denies it was used to plot the alleged attack
Donald Trump's attempted assassin, Thomas Crooks, also had a Discord account, which the company also denies was used in any way to plan his attack
Jonathan Alpert, psychotherapist and author of the forthcoming book Therapy Nation, told the Daily Mail that most young men do not start out as extremists, but claimed groups like Groypers allow that ideology to fester.
'They're starting out lonely. They feel invisible, unheard, unsure of where they fit, and hungry for recognition,' he said.
'These communities offer a quick identity fix. The implicit message is: 'You matter. You belong. And we'll tell you exactly who is responsible for your frustration.' The emotional hook comes first, then the radical belief.'
Alpert explained that the internet rapidly increases radicalization, and the solution is not just to restrict boys' access to it.
'The internet accelerates this process. What once took months now happens in days. A young man can go from scrolling memes to adopting a rigid, us-versus-them worldview before anyone around him notices a change. The speed is what makes this so concerning,' he said.
'The shift is quiet, fast, and highly rewarding for someone who already feels unseen. Many parents assume the solution is to monitor or restrict. That often backfires. When young men feel watched or controlled, they don't open up. They go deeper underground. The most effective protection is relationship.'
He advised creating an environment where young men can openly express themselves so they do not turn their anger inward.
'When a young man feels respected and understood in his real life, he has far less need for the identity and certainty these groups offer. When young men don't feel they have permission to express anger, disappointment, or aimlessness, that energy doesn't go away. It looks for release. These groups know how to catch it,' Alpert said.
'The more we normalize straightforward, grounded conversations about struggle, limits, and purpose, the less room these communities have to grow.'
A 2025 ZipHealth survey found that one in four Americans has engaged in the practice of Gooning, with men being twice as likely to participate as women.
One in seven Americans admits to watching increasingly extreme or niche pornography to maintain arousal during extended Gooning sessions.
A recent report in Harper's Magazine revealed Gooners will often build 'Gooncaves' - rooms with set-ups that include multiple screens where they watch various pornographic videos.
Many Gooners will share photos of their caves online to sites like Reddit.
Amore Philip, founder and chief executive of Apples & Oranges Public Relations, echoed Alpert’s message.
‘As a GenX mom of a 20-year-old in the digital age, I do see isolation as the new vulnerability. Extremist groups don’t just preach ideology; they promise connection. The best defense for young people is fostering belonging that begins offline,’
she told the Daily Mail.
‘The rise of online extremist groups like The Goon Squad and Groypers serves as a stark reminder of how digital platforms can become incubators for identity, belonging, and radicalization.
Experts told the Daily Mail that most young men don't start out as extremists, but these groups allow that ideology to fester
A Discord spokesman told the Daily Mail that it has policies in place to keep users safe
'These groups don't just promote ideology; they offer community and purpose which can be especially appealing to young men who feel disconnected or overlooked.'
She suggested that parents of young boys who are concerned about online safety should have open and honest conversations with their sons.
'Start with connection rather than correction and ask about the communities or groups your child follows, what content they consume, and why. Encourage them to explore identities offline,'
Philip said.
'Establish technology boundaries (such as turning off devices an hour before bed and sharing screen time) and talk openly about how online 'culture' can obscure recruitment efforts. If something feels secretive or overly compelling with phrases like 'only we understand,' that's a red flag.'
A Discord spokesman told the Daily Mail that the company has policies in place to keep users safe.
'The actions of extremist groups or extremism behavior have no place on Discord. We're committed to user safety and have dedicated teams working to disrupt these networks, remove violative content, and take action against bad actors on our platform,'
the representative said.
'We invest heavily in advanced safety tools and proactive detection systems, and we continuously seek to strengthen these measures. Discord has reported extremist groups and individuals to law enforcement, with our reports playing a material role in prosecution and jail sentences for bad actors.'
The Daily Mail has reached out to Fuentes for comment.