Dr. Satyavan Saurabh,
Academician
The digital revolution has provided unprecedented facilities to the society. Today, health information, expert advice and medical services are available just a few clicks away, but there is another face to this digital world, where people’s vulnerabilities, apprehensions and social hesitations have been converted into profitable opportunities. If any area is spreading fastest on social media, it is the huge business of advertisements and products running in the name of ‘masculine weakness’. There is a flood of such advertisements on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, short video platforms and messaging apps, which claim to increase masculinity, improve marital life or give miraculous powers in a few days.
This is not just a business trend, but a serious topic related to social psychology, health literacy and digital regulation. This industry takes advantage of men’s hesitations that prevent them from openly discussing sexual health issues. Advertisements first create fear, then sell solutions to that fear. This is the biggest business model of this entire business.
Even today, sexual health has not become a topic of open discussion in Indian society. Most men feel hesitant to talk to family or doctor about such problems. Taking advantage of this hesitation, self-proclaimed experts, unverified healers, influencers and many companies on social media sell products for which concrete scientific evidence of their effectiveness is not available. Claims like ‘effect in seven days’, ‘100 percent guarantee’, ‘secret formula’, ‘thousands of people have benefited’ may seem attractive, but they often do not meet the standards of scientific medicine.
The language of these advertisements also deserves attention. They do not sell the product directly, but rather question the person’s confidence first. Messages imply that if a particular product is not taken, marital life will suffer, esteem will be diminished or masculinity will be incomplete. Thus a general health concern is linked to social prestige and self-esteem. As a result, many people buy such products without any medical advice.
Social media algorithms further exacerbate this problem. If a person sees or clicks on such an advertisement once, the platforms start showing him similar content again and again. Gradually the user starts getting the illusion that this problem is very common and most of the people are using such products. This psychological effect can sometimes create unnecessary anxiety.
It should also be kept in mind that sexual health is not only a matter related to medicines. In many cases, conditions such as stress, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, hormonal imbalance, smoking, alcohol consumption, lack of sleep and unhealthy lifestyle also play a role. In such cases, merely taking so-called ‘potency enhancing’ drugs does not solve the problem. Correct diagnosis and evidence-based therapy is the right path.
Another concern in this business running on social media is fake reviews and false experiences. Many advertisements feature alleged experiences of people whose authenticity is difficult to verify. Advertisements are presented dressed like doctors, which may confuse the common man. Sometimes terms like ‘ayurvedic’, ‘herbal’ or ‘natural’ are used to create the impression that the product is completely safe, even though being natural in itself does not guarantee safety or effectiveness.
It is also necessary to clarify here that Ayurveda is a rich and scientific medical tradition of India, which has its own principles, research and qualified practitioners. The problem is not Ayurveda, but the tendency to sell products in its name without adequate evidence, without quality control or with misleading claims, hence it is necessary to consult a doctor qualified and registered in any system of medicine.
Digital platforms also have an important responsibility. If they can monitor financial fraud, fake investment schemes and other misleading advertisements, a more rigorous verification regime should be developed for health-related advertisements as well. Ensuring scientific basis for health claims, necessary disclaimers and adherence to regulatory standards should be part of the social responsibility of platforms.
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