Virtue signaling is a form of hypocrisy: projecting moral values for social approval while avoiding real-world action. A post, a slogan, or a symbol costs little. Doing something about the cause costs time, money, or standing.
My twist is that it is often unintentional. Good intentions get mixed with hidden self-interest, or with a little subconscious narcissism, and the person doing it rarely notices. That is why it is so common. Most of us would rather feel good about a stance than pay for it.
The charge itself deserves care. Critics of the term point out that accusing someone of virtue signaling can be its own kind of signaling. Research also finds that people accused of it often feel genuine outrage. Calling a view virtue signaling dismisses the speaker without answering the view, the mistake known as Bulverism.
So I use one test, on others and on myself: what did the stance cost? A moral view that comes with action, money, or risk is not signaling, whatever its tone. One that comes with none may be sincere, but it has not yet done anything.