In an Ontario Securities Commission experiment, participants received virtual money to invest in stocks on a fictional trading platform. Users traded 12 per cent more when they saw a stock promoted on social feeds and traded 18 per cent more when they were invited to copy the trading strategy of a supposedly high-performing user. (The Logic)

Talking point: The OSC called out gamification on digital investing platforms in its May strategic plan as an example of a regulatory grey area of concern. The regulator has pledged to crack down faster and harder on emerging technologies. Its latest report recommends that regulators consider placing limits on gamification strategies that the OSC has concluded can compromise investor protections, including points, top traded lists, social interaction feeds and copy trading. In September, the OSC conducted a similar experiment that found participants invested 22 per cent more in AI-enhanced scams than conventional ones.