“Why Don’t They Copy Me?”: On the Rise of Social Investing and Social Investment Networks
Social investing and various kinds of social investment communities are not entirely new things. Sharing insights and opinions on different investments, investment philosophies, investment strategies, and financial markets, in general, has been part of our lives for years. Investors, as well as any other kind of communities of interest, have been utilizing mailing lists, discussion forums, and online chats as long as they have been in existence. Even today, beginners and experienced investors rely on each other’s opinions and viewpoints when setting up their investment targets, strategies and picking up particular financial instruments when executing specific investment strategies. 1)“Social investing/trading” should not be confused with “socially responsible investing/investment” as they are very different things. In Finland and Sweden, for example, we have witnessed the emergence of very lively and dynamic financial blogosphere in relatively short timespan. Numerous of books, articles, conferences, podcasts, blogs, and people offer diverse opinions on investing…