Ep 24: Tim O’Hearn: Growth Hacking, Black Hat Tactics, and the Real Algorithm

About this episode

Tim O’Hearn discusses growth hacking, social media manipulation, and the intricacies of algorithm design.

My guest today is Tim O’Hearn , author of Framed: A Villain’s Perspective on Social Media —a #1 Amazon Bestseller that breaks down how our feeds, notifications, and recommendations are engineered to manipulate us. But Tim isn’t just an author. He’s spent 8+ years as a software engineer in quant finance, made over $500,000 through social media growth hacking , and literally built the systems that shape what you see online. In this episode, we dig into: How Tim reverse-engineered platforms to gain followers and virality The rise of bots, shadowbanning , and black hat marketing What it’s like to design feeds and push notifications from the inside Why your attention is more valuable than your data The Dead Internet Theory and the eerie rise of AI-generated content How he transitioned from quant finance to gonzo tech critic Whether you’re a builder, marketer, or just curious about what’s really driving your social feed, this conversation will open your eyes. 🔗 Connect with Tim O’Hearn: 📘 Framed: A Villain’s Perspective on Social Media → Buy on Amazon 🌐 Website → tjohearn.com 💼 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/tohearn 🧠 Topics Covered: [00:00] Intro: The Villain in the Feed [06:17] How…

People in this episode

Host: Shubho Ghosh

Guest: Tim O’Hearn

Topics covered

• growth hacking
• black hat tactics
• social media manipulation
• quant finance
• AI-generated content
• attention economy

Keywords

• growth hacking
• black hat marketing
• social media
• attention economy
• AI content
• shadowbanning
• quant finance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Amazon, LinkedIn, tjohearn.com

Books & works: Framed: A Villain’s Perspective on Social Media

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