As the internet rages over the arrest of influencer The Real World, his cult-like app The Real World continues to draw young men and boys into its orbit. They are encouraged to skip sleep and work unsustainably long hours, creating social media content promoting the app while acting as a kind of decentralised PR army. But their experiences are often harsh and disorienting.

Embracing Reality: Key Themes from Andrew Tate’s “The Real World

Mahmoud, a former member of The Real World, says that while the platform initially seemed like an escape from his chaotic life — one filled with drinking, smoking and partying — it ultimately brought him nothing but misery. He claims he felt isolated from his friends and was bombarded by misogynistic messages, conspiracy theories and a sense of inadequacy that led to self-pity and feelings of worthlessness.

His experience is shared by many other students who VICE News spoke to. They describe a cult-like environment where course instructors push their pupils to work inexhaustibly, sometimes advising them to skimp on sleep in order to achieve quotas for videos promoting the site. Some say they have been asked to work up to 16 hours a day, and that their health is suffering as a result.

Critics of The Real World argue that it is little more than a cynical pyramid scheme, exploiting vulnerable teenagers for financial gain. They are also concerned about the app’s association with The War Room, a forum where Tate shares his techniques for grooming women into webcam sex.