Monetising mistakes/misinformation on social media

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Does anyone know how this is done?

If you've been anywhere near social media recently, you'll notice that half the content (okay, maybe not half, but alot) is people posting stuff that is deliberately incorrect or misleading. I believe the idea is that people noticing the 'mistake' - which is most people - won't be able to resist correcting it by leaving a comment. I believe they call it 'engagement' - any response is good even if they're calling you out. Even if you point out to respondents that they're being manipulated, they still win, you engaged.

So I get that's what's happening. What I don't get is why. Who is making money out of flooding the internet with false information? Most of it is pretty innocuous.

I also see lots of posts of historical images of Britain - they seem to be there to harvest all the "Things were better back then..." comments (subtext: before brown people arrived) and the arguments that inevitably follow.

Does anyone know how stuff like this makes money for people? I presume someone somewhere is getting minted off it. I can see the manipulation but I can't see where the money comes from.

I think it's time to start my career as the Bacon King, peddling bacon-derived supplements and preaching the health benefits of an all-bacon diet.

Of course, I won't really be living off of an all-bacon diet, there'll also be truckloads of steroids.

I don't know but I think the only people making money are Facebook and its advertisers. The people seeking "engagement" are just trying to promote their page to get eyeballs on their content because for whatever reason they want their content to be seen, not necessarily because it makes them money when that happens but because people want to be popular on the internet. But it could also involve money if they are promoting products or services.

Sorry, not really an answer...