Risk

So, the societal problem is created when bad faith actors are given a platform, right? But bad faith actors tend to be great at generating outrage and division and thus drive engagement and clicks - which makes money for the platforms.

How do we solve this?

I don't know whether it had a significant impact in Russia, but the rest of the world only knows/cares about the guy because he went back. Otherwise he'd just be yet another person murdered by Putin's regime.

Martyrdom. Navalny knew what it would mean to return; he also knew the risk of not returning (constantly trying to avoid shitty assassination attempts with collateral damage).