AIBU to test how easily influenced DH is by social media advertising.

[PlumPlumb]

DH is very naive when it comes to social media and advertising and very easily influenced.

I've found this frustrating in the past when he's believed any old shite he's seen on Facebook/YouTube and sometimes it results in him buying crap and on others it influences his views about things that are happening in the world. He refuses to accept he's being manipulated by algorithms and believes he knows his own mind and gets stroppy if I suggest otherwise.

A friend at work randomly mentioned a start up clothing brand a relative of theirs is involved with, other side of the country to where we live but has a catchy name that I know will be like catnip for him. The brand has about 4k followers on Facebook/insta at the moment and has been around since Feb 2026, so not insignificant but also no way it would have come to his attention if it wasn't by my chance conversation.

I've searched it on the family ipad which is mostly signed in to his facebook and also watched a few youtubes by the brand from the last few days. I'm not going to mention it to him myself at all, I want to see if it now comes up organically for him on Facebook.

I've written a bet out with today's date on and popped it in the never used teapot next to his fancy coffee, which says that by the end of October he will have bought an item from that brand purely because of Facebook targeted advertising, I've also predicted which events he will buy it to wear at.

On past experience I'm expecting he will have brand mentionitis within the next 10 days... and an item will have been bought by the end of September.

To answer the questions, Yes I'm being a knob, yes he has enough money to spend on tat as he wishes and no I'm not controlling/monitoring his facebook use, he's too lazy to log out and only uses it for mindless scrolling of facebook shite anyway.

Given that it's a bet he doesn't know exists, I bet you cheat. If he doesn't start talking about it, you will. You'll start mentioning it, googling it, sending links to his phone. It will backfire spectacularly when you buy something so he can see the name on the package!

So if you sent him articles on how the algorithm works, he just... wouldnt believe them? Blimey.

Absolutely not. If it has no impact I will bin the teapot bet and scurry away defeated and he will be entirely in the dark.

But I've been here so many times before where I can't prove he's been influenced by algorithms where he's bought the next sliced bread and then wondered why no one else knows about it. Perhaps FB will do me a favour and prove that it's not an immoral advertising sinkhole. I win either way!

It’s quite a lot of effort to go to to basically humiliate him. Also you’ve chosen something he likes so it’s not just influencing it’s you knowing what he likes!

He kind of accepts that the algorithm is a thing but not that it has any influence on him.

Because he's super immune

Not trying to humiliate him - just prove a point. One which I suspect he will accept with humour

It’s not really much effort is it?!

I actually think it’s an interesting experiment and want to see if it works 🤣

Do you actually like him?

I'm not disputing he is influenced and I agree that he is wrong in this but the tone of what you're writing seems to be:
'I'll show the c*nt'.
'I'll catch the git out. '

If you can't stand him that much, just leave.

What are you going to do if you win?
Stand there scowling over him, flicking v-signs?

Surly if he dosnt you should tell him you where wrong and apologise for the accusations.

Why do you feel the need to prove a point? What are you hoping will happen after this pointless is proven?

Bonkers.

Anyone who thinks they aren't influenced by the algorithm is a naive fool. Look forward to finding out how the experiment goes!

I’m with you OP, dying to know if it’ll turn out the way you’re expecting.

How is he with the middle aisle specials in Lidl and Aldi ?

I think we can see here the others who are easily influenced by stuff they see on social media and feel a bit guilty about it but don't want to admit it.

And then there is the obligatory 'sounds like you don't like him very much'. The OP may or may not like her husband but most grown ups know it is perfectly possible to love someone but find them annoying at times. I've been married for 54 years. He is my life, my love and my reason to be. But he still annoys the hell out of me on occasion, as I'm sure I do him.

Will be interested to see the results of your little experiment OP.

Please come back and tell us the results of the experiment.

I might think it in my own head but you’ve laid a trap for your own husband to try and prove you are right and he’s a fool. It doesn’t feel that great.

Take a photo of your prediction next to the teapot so you have proof of when you did it with the time & date details

it’s a lot of palava to prove ‘advertising works’

I agree.
It's nasty.
In any case, if he really is that stubborn he'll deny it anyway.
And again if he really is that stubborn he'll just wiggle out of it.

Either OP is just being nasty here trying to catch somebody out with a human foible so she can scold him or he really has narcissiatic tendencies of never being wrong.

Either way, she should just end it.

Do you really think the OP will be back if she's wrong?
And you think the dh is easily fooled?

Ooh I don't think this would work for mine - only if its the right product. Is it clothing he'd go for usually?

I want to see if it works. What’s the company?

If OP tells us, there’ll be more activity on their socials which will artificially promote the company.

The OP hopes social media algorithms will direct advertising to the iPad/phone for DH who will then convince himself he needs something from the company despite never hearing about it before and possibly having one of more items of the same thing already in his wardrobe.

I don't know her so don't know if she will be back of not.

I don't know her husband either so no idea if he is easily fooled or not. However,, I have seen some of the crap younger relatives and friends have been fooled into buying off Facebook and the like, so yes, there are some gullible people around.