Disinformation is a Business, and We’re the Ones Paying the Price

By Kavisha Pillay

If you’ve ever seen a conspiracy theorist go viral for claiming Beyoncé is part of the Illuminati, or watched a TikToker talk about 5G towers controlling our minds, then you’ve already come across the disinformation economy. It’s absurd, and dumb, and entertaining, and dangerous. 

And, it makes some people very, very rich. 

It’s important at the outset that you understand this: disinformation is not just something that happens quietly in the background of our digital lives. It is also not only about people getting things wrong or sharing strange stories. It is a full-blown industry. It feeds on public fear, confusion, and division. It turns our attention into a product, and our anxiety into cash.

🎥 Watch Episode 3 of The Grifty Gang: Pigeons, Panic, & Profits

This didn’t happen by accident. It’s not a glitch in the system or a side-effect of an open internet. Social media platforms are built to reward content that gets the most clicks, shares, and comments, no matter how harmful it may be. In that system, lies do better than the truth,  not because they are more convincing, but because they are more profitable.

Understanding the grift

The cycle is simple. It starts with a video or voice note. It might promise a miracle cure or claim that an election was rigged. It might tell people to stop trusting journalists, scientists, or doctors, and instead follow someone who says they are exposing hidden truths. The content spreads quickly because it triggers strong emotions like fear or anger. And once it spreads, the money starts flowing.

Social media platforms push the content to even more people. Advertisers pay to have their products placed next to it. The person who made the video starts selling something, like supplements, useless courses, or emergency kits for fake threats. Some ask for donations, while others charge for access to private groups or special advice.

What started as a lie turns into a brand, and the brand becomes a business. The more people engage, the more money is made.

This system is not neutral. It is designed to benefit from content that keeps people online longer. The more time people spend on a platform, the more their behaviour can be tracked, their data sold, and their attention monetised. That is why the most extreme, upsetting, or misleading content often rises to the top. 

The cost of this model is public trust. People begin to question science, doubt elections, and turn against traditional rules-bound journalism. Meanwhile, tech executives defend their platforms as “open spaces for debate”, but in practice, these are spaces where profit is prioritised over truth.

One of the most dangerous things about disinformation is not just how fast it spreads, but how it makes people feel seen. In a world where many feel isolated, or ignored, this content / forums can offer a false sense of belonging. They tell people that they are right to be angry, that the system is rigged, and that only a chosen few can see what’s really going on. This turns frustration into belief, and belief into loyalty.

But the consequences do not stay online. They show up in real life. We see it in vaccine hesitancy, xenophobic attacks, and growing hate towards women and minority communities. We see it in young men pulled into extremist ideologies. We see it in politicians who build their campaigns around lies. What begins as a post ends with real-world harm.

What it will take to break the cycle

This crisis cannot be fixed with fact-checking alone. The problem is not just what people believe, it is the system that rewards those who lie. We need regulation that makes platforms responsible for what they amplify. That includes making algorithms more transparent, cutting off funding to accounts that repeatedly spread disinformation, and holding tech companies accountable when they profit from harm.

We also need to invest in public education. People must learn how the system works, how their emotions are being used to sell products, grow audiences, and shape beliefs. Digital literacy should not be seen as a personal skill. It is a public good. Everyone deserves the tools to navigate the internet safely and wisely.

Finally, we need to change the culture. Right now, we reward speed, outrage, and virality. We give the most attention to those who yell the loudest, even when they are wrong. That needs to shift. We need to value thoughtful conversation over clickbait, and care for one another over conflict for entertainment.

Disinformation is not just a threat to truth. It is a threat to democracy. As long as fear and outrage are profitable, there will always be someone willing to sell them. If we want an internet that supports facts, truth, and dignity, then we must change the rules that govern it.

The lies will not stop on their own, and the people paying the price are all of us.