We will say one thing, since people keep getting confused:
There is a difference between queer-bait and exploitation.
We feel the former has been thrown around so much it has begun to lose meaning.

Example: someone *exploiting* their followers by teasing the possibility of something that isn't directly related to a product.
Say, encouraging followers with hints of their ship possibly being featured in their twitter fanfic.
It's not an actual product.

But, they can exploit fans of a ship to gain followers or to support their other projects/products.
Companies do this with the lgbtq+ community all the time during pride month.
Some offer actual products, some don't.
Most don't follow through.
That is exploitation.

Furthermore, creators that are not allowed to make a product queer via corporate interference, should not be blamed for queer-bait. They wanted it. They tried to give it to you. But for whatever reason, they weren't allowed.

In those cases, don't blame the creator, especially when it's confirmed they tried.
In those cases, you blame the larger forces that prevented it from happening.

Sometimes, someone can give vague support in ways that won't get them in trouble. This is harder to distinguish from exploitation and should be treated carefully.
Fans pushing for more engagement can cause them to stop engaging. It's a narrow line to walk.

We hope this has helped some people understand at least what q-b isn't.
Thanks for reading!