As for virtue signaling, it is a thing that exists[2], and writing off any conversation where one points out that it's happening is probably doing themselves a disservice. Much like any other kind of social signaling, it doesn't even necessarily happen consciously.
[1]: https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/wat
[2]: https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/2701968/virtue-signalling-me...
In my experience of conversations featuring the phrase "virtue signalling", I can only say that by the time that term is introduced, they are already worthless bullshit, or very shortly afterwards they are at considerable risk of becoming it. I'm sure it's a real thing that really happens, but I'm not certain that pointing it out ever actually does any good.
(Somewhat amusingly, your second link contained topless nudity just to the right of the main image, at least for me. I guess that's what happens when you link to The Sun, which is broadly regarded in the UK as a newspaper of ill repute.)
(As a passing observation, I might also add that any conversation which features the magical expression "virtue signalling" is unlikely ever to be a valuable one.)