ABC investigation finds Meta paying controversial Australian creators

techAug 6, 20268272

An ABC NEWS Verify investigation found Meta is directly funding several controversial Australian Facebook pages, including far-right agitator Hugo Lennon and anti-vaccine campaigner Monica Smit. Hugo Lennon, who hurled racist abuse at Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and has photographed and interacted with known neo-Nazis, has received revenue through Facebook's Content Monetization program since September 2025. The Noticer, a far-right site that promotes white supremacist and neo-Nazi ideas, has been in the monetisation program since November 2025, with earnings pausing between January 11 and February 15 for unknown reasons. A page promoting the anti-immigration group March for Australia registered for the program in December 2025. Monica Smit joined the monetisation program in September 2025 and appears to have been earning advertising revenue on Facebook since as far back as 2017; her page features vaccine misinformation and promotes

Bruno J. Navarro

@brunojnavarro.bsky.social

An ABC NEWS Verify investigation has found Facebook's parent company, Meta, is directly paying several controversial content creators including a white nationalist with Neo-Nazi links and a prominent anti-vaxxer.

2611h ago

Voteeveryrepublicanout4

These social media sites are ridiculously sinister as time goes on. Spain and England people being whipped into frenzies….If that’s the case. They should ALL be shut down. Lies aren’t free speech

MuttDad2

Maybe we will get apology number 15 from Zuck

NotchNEK ❌👑2

Great get for ABC news. Yet more evidence that Facebook is encouraging, and profiting from, making people hate each other. Buyer beware.

James Meguerian1

Disgusting. Meta is a societal evil at this point, however it started. Why does it conduct its business this way; must be the MONEY. I have eliminated all investments touching Meta; more folks should

DCTBlackwell1

Thanks for the update and to ABC News for following through with this investigation.

Res-Intel1

Anyone paying attention on FB has noticed the hardcore, right-wing push.

Quoting this

Grudgie the Whale34

Meta needs to be broken up

Marcelo Soares26

A internet não precisa ser assim

....5

Uma investigação do ABC NEWS Verify constatou que a Meta, empresa controladora do Facebook, paga diretamente a vários criadores de conteúdo controversos, incluindo um nacionalista branco com vínculos neonazistas e um conhecido opositor das vacinas.

Jennifer Harris4

“A white nationalist with neo-Nazi links who hurled racist abuse at the Indian prime minister during his visit last month is being paid by Facebook's parent company, Meta, to produce content.”

Susan (George) Schorn4

"Meta would not comment directly on the pages, but said it had 'clear policies in place which anyone using our monetisation tools must comply with' and that 'it is not Meta's role to police offensiveness'". Fuck Zuck.

Vandy, C.A.3

$META when your site isn’t organically toxic enough just go out and buy some rage

HudsonRiverCroc2

Kind of incredible that they do this given who the CEO is. Since it doesn’t harm him directly….

Echidna

@andygr60.bsky.social

Is ANYONE surprized by this? ANYONE? Appalling conduct by FB/Meta If this is happening in here it is happening everywhere. 100% www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08...

45h ago

BeeDubya

@bdubaus.bsky.social

Reasonable Australians expect the federal government to take action to prosecute organisations or companies who fund neo-Nazis. Any any hate group. @albomp.bsky.social this is on you. #auspol www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08...

75h ago

Spocko

@spocko.mastodon.online.ap.brid.gy

Remember when social media companies had TOS about posting disinformation about #COVID? The Center For Countering Digital Hate showed that RFKJr violated #Facebook TOS at the time in a 2021 study. #Meta said they'd remove him. Tech companies TOLD Congress […] [Original post on mastodon.online]

Photo of Disinformation Dozen Report #RFK Jr. was the 2nd biggest spreader of vaccine #disinformation in 2021.

https://counterhate.com/research/the-disinformation-dozen/
He violated #Facebook TOS at the time. #Meta said they'd remove him. Now would be a good time to see if he is still posting his disinformation there & why he hasn't been deplatformed.

Tech companies TOLD Congress they would #deplatform him & the 12 people who spread 2/3rd of the #vaccine disinfo.

But 1 month later 9 of the 12 disinfo spreaders were still online. https://counterhate.com/research/disinformation-dozen-the-sequel/

Yesterday

nevyn

@nevyn8.bsky.social

This wouldn't be an issue if people didn't support #meta #facebook #instagram Meta is a deliberate anagram of meat because their intended demographic is muppets (meat puppets) Q: Are you a muppet? A: Yes, I use meta B: Probably, but at least I don't use meta C: Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me

9h ago

Glen Jackson

@glenjackson.bsky.social

TO BE CLEAR: ANYONE THAT IS POSTING FACTUAL INFORMATION ON #FACEBOOK IS CONSIDERED A #TERRORIST BY #MARKZUCKERBERG AND THAT’S WHY THEY HAVE TO SUPPRESS THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. NOTHING LIKE PROTECTING PEDOPHILES, SEX TRAFFICKERS, MONEY LAUNDERERS, & WAR CRIMINAL BUDDIES. #BennyJohnson 👇🏽

Yesterday

James Neal - will know what will happen when it does.

@jameswneal.bsky.social

Meta would not comment directly on the pages, but said it had "clear policies in place which anyone using our monetisation tools must comply with" and that "it is not Meta's role to police offensiveness". www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08...

1h ago

Tilly "Tots”

@tiltnweave.bsky.social

Why does it take so much to make the right-wing realize they're being played? Fuckerberg wants you to engage because HE makes money. Dump everything Meta -- FB, FB Marketplace, Instagram, WhatsApp and those awful "ai" glasses.

1h ago

1 source

abc.net.auFacebook isn't just giving these agitators a platform: it's paying them

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ABC investigation finds Meta paying controversial Australian creators

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