The internet is flooded with generic tarot card readings and psychic readings on social media, but veteran psychic Inbaal Honigman warns that these videos are often 'pointless and meaningless'07:38, 06 Aug 2026You may see a tarot reading pop up on your social media feeds and think it's a cosmic sign meant just for you. But the reality is much less mystical. Behind those perfectly timed videos are algorithms designed to keep you scrolling, and in some cases, creators preying on people desperately searching for answers.‌The digital psychic boom has brought spirituality to the masses, but it's also created a wild west of unchecked content. What looks like genuine guidance can be increasingly generic, mass-produced, or – even worse – completely AI-generated advice churned out by bots. These videos aren't signs from the universe; they are engagement traps that don't often have your best interests at heart.‌To address this, we caught up with veteran psychic Inbaal Honigman – who has spent two decades drawing on Tarot, astrology, palmistry, clairvoyance, and various other forms of divination.‌Inbaal said: "The advent of social media, which brought with it a lack of regulation in broadcasting, has contributed to the spread of non-personalised psychic readings, many of which are pointless and meaningless."While psychics used to be seen as "ugly, dodgy ladies, sitting in dusty libraries and speaking in metaphors", Inbaal says the online space has normalised the subject.She explained: "Psychics are now seen as relatable, everyday people who have a special gift. A psychic can be your sister, your neighbour, or your colleague."‌The societal shift towards psychicsInbaal puts the industry's modern makeover down to a shift in popular culture. She said: "Over the past twenty years, the image of the psychic has changed massively, thanks to fictionalised psychics such as The Ghost Whisperer and Medium, and real-life psychic shows such as Long Island Medium and Most Haunted."These days, she observes, the mystical has well and truly entered the mainstream, and this is partly due to social media. While you might not think this is a big deal, industry veterans like Inbaal believe the videos should be approached with caution.‌Concerns around 'psychic' clipsInbaal acknowledged that some advice is pointless, but that's not to say everything online is worthless. Inbaal recognises that some brilliant psychics share genuinely helpful videos, and she herself runs a weekly YouTube show offering free readings to anyone who submits a question.Yet viewers must be careful about who they're tuning into. She said: "There are videos by beginner psychics who should be more upfront in explaining that they're just starting out. No matter how gifted, a beginner's reading won't carry the same depth as that of a veteran."There are, of course, out-and-out fraudsters who don't even try to give a psychic reading; they try to direct the viewer to a paid service.‌"And then we've got the AI videos, computer-generated videos of people who don't actually exist, sharing generic, flat advice. They are of no spiritual value at all".If you're making a big life decision, you need to be cautiousInbaal cautioned that if you're facing a major decision, the choice should ultimately rest with you. She added: "Big important decisions are 100% for the individual to decide, not for a psychic."‌The same applies to "financial advisors, midwives and sports coaches, not only psychics".Inbaal explained: "No matter the professional, their field of expertise or their level of skill, they can only guide and advise, and you yourself choose whether to follow the advice. Any decision that you take in your life, you're the person who has to live with the consequences, so the decision is entirely yours."Establishing that trust is absolutely crucial. Placing faith in an impersonal online figure with whom you have no real connection — psychic or otherwise — is a risky business.‌"If you have a strong relationship with a psychic, and you've known them to be right in the past, and you trust them, then their advice would carry more weight while you make your decision," she advises. "If you trust an impersonal online person, whether they're psychic or not, is irrelevant; you're putting your trust where it doesn't belong."For those unsure whether someone can be trusted, Inbaal's guidance is straightforward: go with your gut. And for anyone keen to learn the craft themselves, she suggests taking it slowly and steering well clear of AI-generated content.Why has psychic content gone viral?Inbaal believes psychic videos are so prevalent on social media because of the amount of stress everyday people are facing. Whether it's the cost-of-living crisis or internet burnout, many of us search for ways to make sense of the world.Article continues belowShe added: "Also, over the past twenty years, the economic downturn, the pandemic and multiple wars have caused people to feel as if they can't get answers anywhere."Let down by leadership, financial institutions and those in positions of power, people now turn to the one direction which can tell them about the future, which is the psychic."