Technology

Parteek Kler

Weaponized Aesthetics: The Algorithmic Pipeline and Reality of Looksmaxxing

A close-up headshot of a young man with warm medium-brown skin, dark brown curly hair, and dark brown eyes, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression. He is wearing a white collared shirt and a dark navy suit jacket, set against a plain light grey background.

Parteek Kler is an upcoming graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Professional Communication program, with a strong interest in public relations, media strategy, and the evolving role of AI in communications. Throughout his time at TMU, he has taken on executive roles and completed internships that have strengthened his skills in communication, collaboration, and leadership, allowing him to thrive in team environments while demonstrating independence and initiative. Outside of his professional interests, Parteek enjoys staying active, traveling, and spending time with friends. He is excited to apply his skills in the professional world and continue growing in the communications field. 

Looksmaxxing is a male beauty subculture built around optimizing physical appearance, and TikTok has quietly become its catalyst. The subculture itself exists on a spectrum; at its far end sits something darker: the “black pill” ideology, misogyny, racism, disordered eating, and the unregulated use of substances referred to as “peptides.” My research explores whether TikTok’s recommendation algorithm and influencer rhetoric are actively fueling young men toward radicalization, and what impact this has on their daily lives. To find out, I ran an algorithmic audit across three devices, analyzed content from 25 of the top creators in the Looksmaxxing space, and thematically coded 160 user comments. My findings indicated neither a user problem nor a creator problem. The issue is structural. It is embedded in the algorithm itself, altering how young men see themselves and move through the world. This is Weaponized Aesthetics.

Lightning Talk

Browse More Technology Research

More Projects

A friendly, brightly lit headshot of a young woman with a warm smile, facing forward. She has long, wavy dark brown hair, dark eyes, and natural-looking makeup. She's wearing a black polo shirt with an open placket and a silver necklace featuring a small, square red pendant. A subtly blurred indoor or office environment is visible in the background.

Lea Kulevska

The Desire for Permanence in a Disappearing World: The Rise of ‘Analog’ and Gen Z’s Emotional Resistance to Algorithms
A medium close-up portrait of a man with dark curly hair, a thick beard, and medium-toned skin, smiling broadly with his teeth showing. He wears a plain white crew-neck t-shirt. The background is softly blurred, showing abstract hints of an indoor environment.

Victor Trejos

Systemic Racism and Food Access in Toronto’s Food Bank System
A portrait of a young woman with warm skin and long, wavy black hair parted down the middle, smiling broadly with her teeth showing. She is wearing a dark blue-grey corduroy button-up shirt over a white t-shirt and a gold heart-shaped necklace. The background is a plain, light-colored wall.

Saumya Banugoban

Y2K Nostalgia Marketing & Gen Z
Scroll to Top