I thought I’d replace the BBC’s title with something more to the point.

To answer their question, I think some are doing it for attention and money, whilst others have convinced themselves that the lies they parrot are true. The former group are more shitty than the latter, but the deluded ones cause just as much pain. Potentially more, in fact, because they’re the ones more likely to stalk people, or try to kidnap children to save them from made up Satanic abuse.

Do ‘disaster trolls’ believe the conspiracy theories they promote? – BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65201949?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA