Certainly the dream of becoming rich through it is a factor, but I think it is more about being desperate for attention and validation, even if it comes from perfect strangers.
For instance, I know a woman in her 40's, married, from Denmark who has tried to be an influencer for years, posts the most ridiculous content and has nine different accounts to like and comment her own posts. It is pathetic and painful to witness.
There is a serious identity crisis -that has spread worldwide and among people of all ages- and I think the whole phenomenon encompasses what I'm talking about and what you mentioned in your initial post.
I'd like to finish my post with a paragraph from "Doctor Glas" by Hjalmar Söderberg that I have always found so telling of human nature: "We want to be loved; failing that, admired; failing that, feared, failing that, hated and despised. At all costs we want to stir up some sort of feeling in others."