Examining the Influence of Social Media on Stock Market Volatility: A Behavioral Study of Retail Investors

This study analyzes data from 72 retail investors to evaluate the impact of social media and financial influencers on stock market behaviors. Empirical testing reveals a significant relationship (p= 0.0382), showing that active engagement with influencers directly causes investors to modify their trading strategies. However, demographic factors and market familiarity do not alter the universal skepticism respondents share regarding the overall accuracy of digital financial information. A critical vulnerability was also identified, highlighting a widespread, cross-generational inability to independently verify the credibility of online financial claims. The findings suggest that future regulatory efforts should focus on influencer accountability, alongside a renewed push for digital financial literacy tools.