Less than a week out from the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, it feels like angry X and Facebook posts, memes, comments, and videos from rival sides are everywhere.

But do you really know who you are talking to, or arguing with?

As it turns out, most of us don't.

Here's why it's crucial to find out, before we cast our vote on Election Day.

A new breed of content creator—the disinformation entrepreneur—has exploded in recent years, exploiting our political beliefs and values for money.

Posing as fellow Americans (Democrats, Republicans, or others) the goal of disinformation entrepreneurs (DE) across the world is simple: Search daily trending topics, then ramp up polarization between partisan voters as aggressively as possible by baiting readers with outrageous, offensive posts. The political issue, nation, or ideology is not important; the capacity to make a few bucks is all that counts.

The barriers to entry in this rapidly exploding industry are remarkably low: All you really need to begin a potentially profitable DE hustle is a wi-fi connection and a laptop.

Unable to stomach the lies, or turn our cheek to ugly untruths, we respond to hostile, baiting DE posts with angry responses or outraged retweets. By doing so, we are handing the DE the holy grail they seek: engagement.

Hate and anger are key drivers when it comes to online engagement, which is why we see so much vicious content online right now, but an effective DE does not care whether your response to their triggering content is positive or negative. In either case, you've served your purpose and helped them earn a few cents on the dollar.

The kicker? They usually........

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