In today’s social media era, engagement isn’t about popularity — it’s currency. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have monetised user interactions and engagement, transforming likes, shares, and comments into potential payouts. But as users chase virality, the lines blur between actual conversations and engineered controversy.

The question is, why?

Picture this: An Indian entrepreneur criticises a US hotel/casino for charging ₹1,200 for a bottle of water, while drawing comparisons between Indian and American hospitality. Also, an Indian CEO/cofounder of a US based start-up sparked outrage by claiming his employees should work many hours with no regards for work-life balance.

What connects these examples? Both individuals are Premium X subscribers, and their posts received — 828.4K and 1.6M views, in terms of engagement respectively. While their opinions sparked controversy, the real goal was to gain visibility and potentially earn money.

This isn’t accidental. Engagement farming — seeking maximum interactions — and engagement baiting — crafting posts designed to elicit responses — could be at play.

In 2023, X introduced a revenue-sharing programme allowing premium users to earn money through ads. By October 2024, it evolved to payouts depending on engagement from Premium users, not just ads in replies. This shift brought about creators to prioritise virality over substance, often using controversy to cash in. Influencers in positions of privilege often use polarising topics like work-life balance, social dynamics to get more reactions and increase their earnings.

At the same time, users are pushing back. Some call them out, many avoid engaging directly with these posts and instead share screenshots to discuss it elsewhere.

Are platforms doing enough to stop these practices, or is it another business model for them?

Before engaging, ask yourself: Are you adding to the conversation or just boosting someone’s earnings?

A moment’s thought before commenting can make a difference.