Doing Better for Boys | 2026 Common Sense Summit

Why It Matters

Boys’ exposure to stereotypical online content erodes mental health and fuels risky behaviors, demanding urgent action from parents, schools, and tech companies to create safer digital environments and supportive interventions.

Key Takeaways

• Boys encounter frequent digital masculinity content, affecting self‑esteem.
• 58% of teen boys feel belonging on social media platforms.
• Problematic gender stereotypes appear in 69% of boys’ online feeds.
• Excessive fitness focus links to eating disorders and steroid use.
• Parents should use “curious, not furious” conversations to engage boys.

Summary

The 2026 Common Sense Summit panel titled “Doing Better for Boys” examined how adolescent boys are navigating school, family, and digital culture. Moderator Christopher Pepper introduced experts from education, medicine, and media research to unpack the pressures boys face online and offline.

Mike Rob presented findings from Common Sense Media’s 2025 "Boys in the Digital Wild" report: 58% of 11‑17‑year‑old boys say social media gives them a sense of belonging, yet 73% regularly encounter masculinity‑coded content and 69% see overtly problematic gender stereotypes. Those with the highest exposure reported greater loneliness, lower self‑esteem, and adherence to traditional masculine norms. Pediatrician Jason Nagata highlighted a parallel crisis in male body image, noting that fitness‑focused social media correlates with muscularity‑related behaviors, steroid use, and emerging eating‑disorder symptoms.

Panelists offered concrete dialogue tools. Pepper urged parents to adopt a "curious, not furious" stance—asking boys to show what they’re watching and using brief, interest‑driven moments rather than lectures. Ashanti Branch shared the origin of the Ever Forward Club, a lunchtime mentorship model that turns math‑class frustration into supportive peer dialogue. These anecdotes underscored the power of informal, trust‑based connections.

The discussion signals a need for educators, parents, and digital platforms to redesign engagement strategies: monitor harmful content, promote critical media literacy, and provide accessible mental‑health resources. By fostering open, non‑judgmental conversations, stakeholders can mitigate the negative effects of digital masculinity and support healthier identity development for boys.

Original Description

How are the boys in your life doing? Many boys and young men today are struggling at school, in their families, and in their communities. The root causes are complex, but what's clear is that we need to meet boys where they are and find ways to make sure they can navigate a host of potent cultural forces, online and off. Join us for a candid conversation about what boys experience day-to-day, how they're being affected, and how we can best give them the confidence to be their authentic selves in a world that too often tells them that's not good enough.

Speakers:

Ashanti Branch, Founder & Executive Director, The Ever Forward Club

Michael Robb, PhD, Head of Research, Common Sense Media

Dr. Jason Nagata, Pediatrician and Professor, University of California, San Francisco

Christopher Pepper, Co-Author, Talk to Your Boys; San Francisco Unified School District