In January 2025, a disconcerting trend emerged within the London Facebook group "Are We Dating the Same Guy?" (AWDTSG), sparking widespread alarm among its members. This group, aimed at enabling women to share experiences about potentially predatory men, became a target for male users from various Telegram channels who began doxing, harassing, and sharing nonconsensual intimate images of women from the group. This digital aggression was framed as retaliation for women’s discussions about these men in private online spaces.
On January 23, posts circulated within the AWDTSG group, alerting members to hidden Telegram channels that were exploiting women’s images. As the situation escalated, members shared screenshots and TikTok videos highlighting these Telegram channels. Investigative efforts revealed links to numerous channels operating within a misogynistic network aimed at digitally abusing women.
AWDTSG, which has grown to encompass over 150 regional Facebook forums and roughly 3 million members globally since its inception by Paolo Sanchez in 2022, has provided a platform for women to warn each other. However, its rapid growth made it susceptible to backlash. Critics condemned the group for its potential to spread unverified accusations, leading to a series of defamation lawsuits. Some individuals, rather than seeking legal remedies, resorted to orchestrated online harassment.
WIRED conducted an analysis of more than 3,500 messages from a Telegram group associated with the broader harassment network. The study uncovered a disturbing atmosphere characterized by systematic tracking, doxing, and degrading treatment of women, with a notable increase in activity from January 26 to 27. Messages within these groups frequently included the exchange of personal identifiers such as phone numbers and locations, with women of color facing heightened abuse.
As some women from AWDTSG infiltrated the Telegram channels, they reported instances of male users becoming wary of their presence, indicating an awareness of their targeted efforts. Attempts by AWDTSG moderators to warn users about the risks of doxing were often met with censoring actions.
The men engaged in these actions framed their digital harassment as a defensive response to a perceived attack by feminism on their lives. Many participated in larger networks known as the manosphere, which fosters and legitimizes misogynistic ideologies, often leading to a dangerous normalization of extreme behaviors in these isolated online spaces.
The introduction of unmoderated environments such as Telegram has led to incredibly challenging dynamics for victims of harassment. Survivors often find themselves compelled to alter their lives drastically due to the trauma they experience, while the platforms struggle to provide adequate oversight. Without more robust regulatory frameworks, online abuse continues to evolve, finding innovative ways to bypass accountability.
Concerns have been raised about the efficacy of current moderation practices on platforms like Telegram. Reports have indicated a troubling lack of responsiveness to requests from organizations like the UK-based Revenge Porn Helpline regarding nonconsensual image abuse. As existing legal frameworks in countries such as the UK remain weak in addressing online harassment, the situation appears dire—and the need for effective intervention has never been more urgent.
The network of harassment makes clear that the privacy tools intended to protect users can be weaponized against them. With communication veiled in anonymity, abusers can act with impunity, underscoring the systemic failures in regulating online behavior. As these harmful networks grow and adapt, they present a stark reminder of the urgent need for better mechanisms to safeguard online spaces and enforce accountability among platforms.
