The Algorithm Economics Problem

Sharran defines how watch time and engagement incentives push creators to favor sensational, simplistic finance content.

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Social media has become part of our everyday lives, but that doesn’t make it trustworthy. The most dangerous part isn’t the misinformation itself–it’s how believable it looks.

In this cautionary episode, Sharran exposes how social media algorithms manipulate what you believe, especially about money. He reveals that most viral financial content isn’t built to help you–it’s built to profit from your clicks. Backed by shocking data from FINRA, Sharran explains why over 70% of online finance posts fail basic compliance standards and how influencers earn more from your attention than your success.

He dives into the psychology of algorithmic incentives, showing how platforms reward confidence over accuracy and how that distorts the truth. You’ll also learn three simple rules to spot fake gurus and protect yourself from misleading advice online. Stop making decisions based on what you see or hear from social media-verify the information from more reliable sources.

“Whoever is shouting loudest–the biggest, loudest advice–about money is often giving the worst advice about money.”

- Sharran Srivatsaa

Timestamps:

02:04 - What FINRA discovered about viral finance posts

02:44 - Why algorithms push bad financial advice

04:31 - The “algorithm economics problem” explained

06:22 - The hidden business model behind finance influencers

09:09 - What good financial content should include

10:35 - The three rules to protect yourself from bad advice

12:43 - Why you should always verify with “boring sources”

Resources:

- The Next Billion by Sharran Srivatsaa - https://sharransrivatsaa.substack.com/