Economist Herbert Simon predicted this when he described the attention economy as “a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” Every day on social media, we see hundreds of advertisements, sponsored posts, and product recommendations, all trying to grab a few seconds of our attention. This is where the attention economy begins to reshape consumer behaviour. Economist Josef Falkinger explains that we cope by developing an “attention filter,” subconsciously ignoring most content and paying attention only to what appears most striking, persuasive, or personally relevant. Yet the attention economy doesn't take away our freedom to choose; it quietly shapes what we notice first, influencing the choices we are most likely to make.