Meta's Rage-Bait Payroll: How Facebook Monetizes White Nationalists and Anti-Vaxxers

An ABC News Verify investigation has exposed a uncomfortable truth about Facebook's content monetization: Meta is directly paying Australian creators with neo-Nazi ties, white nationalist views, and anti-vaccine misinformation. The payments flow through the invitation-only Content Monetization program, which distributed nearly $3 billion to 16.2 million accounts in 2025.

Among those profiting is Hugo Lennon, a far-right agitator who hurled racist abuse at India's PM and has been photographed with known neo-Nazis. His videos reference white supremacist concepts like replacement theory. Also earning: The Noticer, a far-right news site promoting neo-Nazi ideology; March for Australia, an anti-immigration group with neo-Nazi links; and Monica Smit, founder of Reignite Democracy Australia, whose page pushes vaccine misinformation and sells "radiation protection" bracelets.

All four appear to violate Facebook's own monetization policies, which state that "debated social issues" like race may face reduced monetization, and "misleading medical information" is ineligible. Yet they've been earning since late 2025, with Smit apparently monetizing since 2017.

Meta's response: "It is not Meta's role to police offensiveness." The company claims clear policies exist and violators get penalized, but the evidence suggests enforcement is spotty at best. Victoire Rio of What To Fix, which collates Meta's disclosure data, notes the company is in a direct commercial relationship with these creators — making it arguably liable for their content.

Independent researcher Kaz Ross frames it bluntly: Meta's financial model rewards engagement, and rage-bait is the most reliable engagement generator. The algorithm doesn't care about ideology — it cares about outrage.

This isn't a bug; it's the business model. Until Meta ties monetization to actual policy compliance, the incentive to produce hateful, misleading content will persist.