WSJ's Take On the Week

Bonus: Kyla Scanlon on Navigating Financial Advice on Social Media

May 7, 2025

In this insightful discussion, Kyla Scanlon, a savvy social-media content creator and economic commentator, sheds light on the evolving landscape of financial advice for Gen Z. She explores how meme stocks and cryptocurrencies are shaping young investors’ strategies. Scanlon highlights the importance of media literacy, particularly in distinguishing valuable financial advice from misinformation. With her unique blend of creativity and humor, she makes complex economic concepts accessible, aiming to empower a new generation to navigate the financial world confidently.

25:35

Episode guests

Kyla Scanlon

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Kyla Scanlon emphasizes how social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram dramatically influence Gen Z's approach to financial literacy and economic trends.

The discussion highlights the blurred lines between risk-taking and traditional investing due to pandemic experiences and viral trends, shaping young investors' strategies.

Deep dives

Impact of Generational Experiences on Investment Mindsets

The pandemic has significantly shaped the investment behavior of the youngest generation of investors, influencing their perception of the stock market and financial decisions. Events such as the GameStop phenomenon introduced a gambling mentality associated with investing, diverging from traditional investment principles based on fundamentals. This era has blurred the lines between risk-taking and strategic investing, as many young investors engage with high-risk opportunities influenced by viral trends and social media. The discussion points out that for these new investors, the experiences they faced during their formative years, including economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic, will likely inform their long-term investment philosophies.

Intro

2min

Generational Shifts in Investing

5min

Engaging Economics: Making Financial Knowledge Accessible

2min

Demystifying Finance: Engaging New Investors

4min

Navigating Media Literacy and Economic Sentiment

10min

In this special bonus episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos is joined by social-media content creator and economic commentator Kyla Scanlon, who has helped transform how younger generations, specifically Gen Z, are engaging with news about the economy and finance.

Through platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Substack, Scanlon has cultivated a dedicated audience of more than half a million people by simplifying complex economic data with creativity and humor. Recognized for coining the term “vibecession,” to highlight the disconnect between economic data and consumers, Scanlon has garnered attention from White House advisers and the Federal Reserve.

In this episode, we’ll explore how economic trends like meme stocks (think GameStop and AMC) and cryptocurrencies are changing things for younger investors. Plus, we chat about best practices to consider when using social media for financial advice and how to avoid the “bad actors” that are spreading misinformation or scamming people.

This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Gunjan Banerji, lead writer for Live Markets, and Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking and money columnist, cut through the noise and dive into markets, the economy and finance—the big trades, key players and business news ahead.

Have an idea for a future guest or episode? How can we better help you take on the week? We’d love to hear from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

The 27-Year-Old Economic Adviser for Gen Z

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

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WSJ's Take On the Week

Bonus: Kyla Scanlon on Navigating Financial Advice on Social Media

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Impact of Generational Experiences on Investment Mindsets

The Role of Social Media in Financial Education

Navigating Uncertainty in Today’s Economic Landscape

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts