Facebook isn't just giving these agitators a platform: it's paying them

An in-depth investigation by ABC NEWS Verify has uncovered that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is directly paying several controversial content creators. These individuals include a white nationalist with Neo-Nazi ties and an outspoken anti-vaccination advocate. Despite these creators' content often contravening Facebook's own policies regarding monetisation, Meta has not publicly commented on the matter.

The company maintains that it has clear policies that all monetisation tool users must adhere to, and that it does not police offensiveness. The investigation reveals that a white nationalist, Hugo Lennon, who hurled racist abuse at the Indian Prime Minister, is among those being paid by Meta to produce content. Monica Smit, a prominent anti-vaccination activist, is also receiving revenue through Facebook's Content Monetization program, with her page featuring vaccine misinformation.

The Noticer, a far-right news website, and March for Australia, an anti-immigration group, are also benefiting from Meta's monetisation program. These pages have at times violated Facebook's policies. According to Meta, the monetisation scheme in question is an invitation-only program that allows users to earn money from eligible content.

However, critics argue that Meta's decision to pay these creators implies a form of business relationship, potentially making the company liable for the content produced.