comment: >
  
  This is true. Its a tightrope. If you say you dont support them you are accused of defending pedos. 
  I'll say this. I dont support those who use humiliation and insults as their primary mode. There is a guy who would make these guys do things like jumping jacks and push ups which never made any sense to me.
  And stop pushing other agendas. There is one guy from Texas who is very clearly an extreme right winger and basically uses the catches to insult the left. 
  Just make it about the guys who are trying to take down. Stop pushing an agenda.
context: How could you know their true motivations without being able to read their mind? >
  
  Watching these interviews its pretty clear when they are intentionally elongating confrontations for purpose of maximizing viewership. Again, i have no problem with entrepreneurs serving the greater good. Just be transparent FFS. >
  
  Check out the vice doc on  them. They reveal that many of the predator chasers they  speak to, were molested themselves. And those who preyed on them never received any punishment. So they do this as a way to confront that part of their lives. >
  
  I don't doubt some of them have these type of motives. But you can see in their actions the ones that are clearly doing it to make bank. You don't need to sell "
  merch" if your goal is justice. >
  
  I mean... Doesn't look many of them are doing too well. Making a bit off merch probably helps them a lot. >
  
  I mean look. This is a nuanced argument I am trying to make. 
  I don't oppose what they are doing. They are content creators who are providing a service. 
  But the $ is the ultimate driver for many is all I am saying, and I wish they were more transparent about it >
  
  Seems pretty unlikely the main motivation is financial. Groups exist who do this don't blast it all over social media. I think a far, far more plausible argument is that they do it for moral status.  
  For example, when wealthy people donate significant amounts to charity, it's rare that they are doing it for entirely selfless reasons. It's a form of purchased morality - I must be good because I've given all this money to charity. They then feel good about themselves because they see themselves as being more moral than individuals who do not do this.  
  Pedo hunters are similar - they're cashing in on the base human desire to bully or feel superior to another person. Sure, the people they're doing this to are pretty detestable, but much like the selfish charitable donation, they're not in it for the good deed.  
  Making videos on social media is just not a very efficient way to make money. The creator economy means that the vast majority never get anything, and it takes a lot of effort to successfully pull off one of these videos. There are usually a fairly large number of people involved, so dividing the funds makes any potential payoff even smaller.  
  Publicising it to raise awareness of your heightened moral status is a much more lucrative venture. >
  
  I'm sure that part of it is feeling superior or flexing power over a hapless moronic perv who no one will (nor should) have sympathy for. >
  
  Seems to me they are actually glorified vigilantes, who's motivations are irrelevant. You believe in the rule of law, or you don't. >
  
  They're definitely vigilantes. That said, in this case, given the failures of LE, I don't have an issue with that provided it is being done for the purposes of helping kids and the community rather than cashing in