The harrowing Adolescence misinformation spreading online proves why Netflix’s show is vital

Adolescence is the most acclaimed and talked about TV show of 2025, for good reason. From a purely TV show perspective, it’s an achievement. Four incredibly strong episodes, written by star Stephen Graham and co-writer Jack Thorne. Directed in one shot takes by Boiling Point’s Philip Barantini. Incredible performances across the board, with Owen Cooper having a breakthrough role in his first ever professional credit for his portrayal as 13 year old Jamie – arrested for the murder of a female classmate. But what really sets Adolescence apart into the upper echelons of telly is how it’s opened conversation surrounding the danger of incel culture online, displaced men who fall prey to the likes of Andrew Tate’s mentality and get radicalised. It’s harrowing – but the show has pushed even prime minister Keir Starmer to be opening discussions on how we can’t shrug off to what’s happening. But what’s even more scary is how a certain corner of the internet is spreading misinformation about Adolescence on Netflix  to further their own agenda – and dangerously, Elon Musk is perpetuating falsehoods. This show has literally never been more needed.

It’s extremely dangerous

An account known for sharing misinformation posted on Twitter / X on March 20th about Adolescence on Netflix. This is the post that garnered a response from X owner Elon Musk.

“Netflix has a show called Adolescence that’s about a British knife killer who stabbed a girl to death on a bus and it’s based on real life cases such as the Southport murderer. So guess what. They race swapped the actual killer from a black man/migrant to a white boy and the story has it so he was radicalized online by the red pill movement. Just the absolute state of anti-white propaganda.”

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It’s absolutely abhorrent that a tweet that is entirely false has 78,000 likes, been viewed by millions – and believed by many more who are being radicalised by this insanity.

And worse still, Elon Musk replies to the post – amplifying it to a bigger audience.

It goes without saying, but Adolescence has absolutely nothing to do with the Southport attacks that rocked the country last year. And I find it sickening that anyone would draw parallels between them and use that horrific crime to incense more race based hatred up and down the country. Adolescence began filming before the traumatic attack in Southport even took place.

Creator Stephen Graham has explained himself about how Adolescence was influenced by real life crimes, but not particularly a specific case.

“I read an article in the paper about a young boy who stabbed a young girl to death,” he recalled to Jimmy Fallon. “And then a couple of months later on the news, there was a piece about [another] young boy who stabbed a young girl to death.

“And these were at opposite ends of the country. And if I’m really honest with you, it hurt my heart. And I just think, ’what kind of a society are we living in at the minute where young boys are stabbing young girls?’.”

Racism in the comment sections is terrifying

Something I’ve noticed myself whilst writing about Adolescence has been deeply troubling me, and I can’t help but feel like the above flasehoods are contributing to the way people comfortably comment on official Netflix videos about Adolescence with dangerous agendas such as these ones. I found these comments at the top of a video about Owen Cooper discussing some behind the scenes moments on the show.

“Ah yes, typical Netflix. The only time they don’t believe in ‘diversity’ is when the black boy the story is based on is a psychopath then they make him white.”

There are numerous comments that share this sentiment.

As dismaying as all this is, it only proves to me how important it actually is that Adolescence got made. And how the show is prompting conversation for change at the highest level.

Put simply, the traumatic events of Adolescence would not have happened had Jamie not been radicalised online by a bizarre red pilled corner of the internet who think everyone is out to get them. I look at posts like this and can’t help but think how it’s happening right now, in front of our eyes. These people in the TikTok comments have believed misinformation and now this horrible agenda is being perpetuated.

If anything tells you how important Adolescence on Netflix is for what it says about internet consumption today, let this dangerous misinformation saga be it.

Adolescence is on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Featured image credit: Netflix and BBC.