{
  "id": 9555827,
  "title": "Finance Watch warns of online tactics designed to influence retail investors",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/finance-watch-warns-of-online-tactics-designed-to-influence-retail",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-24T12:48:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews Business",
    "slug": "euronews-business",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/24/finance-watch-warns-of-online-tactics-designed-to-influence-retail-investors"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Finance Watch warns that online tactics designed to influence retail investors can be detrimental to consumers. Influencers with inadequate financial knowledge, trendy investment lists, pre-selected amounts, countdowns, and prominent 'buy' buttons are common tactics identified in a report. As retail investing becomes more accessible through social media, civil society organizations and policymakers are seeking ways to protect vulnerable groups, such as minors. The report, based on an analysis of 24 banks, neobanks, trading platforms, and 59 financial influencers on social media in Germany, Spain, Czechia, and Hungary, found repeated design patterns that can steer investment choices and obscure information about risks. Finance Watch urges EU policymakers to introduce new legislation to restrict or ban such practices. The upcoming Digital Fairness Act, expected before the end of the year, aims to protect consumers from unfair or manipulative online practices. Finance Watch also recommends tighter regulation of financial influencers and a ban on their promotion of retail investment products. The European Union is focusing on increasing financial literacy, as limited knowledge has been identified as an obstacle to making Europe more competitive globally. A 2023 Eurobarometer survey showed that only 18% of EU citizens had a high level of financial literacy.",
  "summary": "Online design tactics can influence consumers and retail investors, including minors, to make decisions that may not be in their best interests, while making information about potential risks less prominent, Finance Watch has warned.",
  "key_points": [
    "Online tactics like influencers' financial ignorance and countdowns can harm retail investors.",
    "Report analyzes 24 banks, neobanks, platforms, and 59 influencers in 4 countries.",
    "EU aims to introduce Digital Fairness Act and tighten influencer regulation."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}