Social media feeds and the borrowed conviction
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2026 6:26 am
A feed full of traders posting winning screenshots creates a distorted picture. Wins get posted, losses get deleted, and the viewer sees a world where everyone else is printing money.
That affects decisions. A bullish post on a pair can plant a bias. A screenshot of a monster win can trigger envy and the urge to take bigger risk. Even a sceptical reader absorbs some of it.
Opinions in the middle of a session are especially damaging. A trader who opened a position on a clear signal sees someone calling the opposite direction, and starts doubting, moving the stop, or closing early.
A clean approach is to keep social media closed during sessions and use it for learning afterward, with a sceptical eye. Following a few people who post full results, including losses, helps keep the picture balanced.
How much of the session's decisions have been influenced by something read online?
That affects decisions. A bullish post on a pair can plant a bias. A screenshot of a monster win can trigger envy and the urge to take bigger risk. Even a sceptical reader absorbs some of it.
Opinions in the middle of a session are especially damaging. A trader who opened a position on a clear signal sees someone calling the opposite direction, and starts doubting, moving the stop, or closing early.
A clean approach is to keep social media closed during sessions and use it for learning afterward, with a sceptical eye. Following a few people who post full results, including losses, helps keep the picture balanced.
How much of the session's decisions have been influenced by something read online?