> Makes me wonder how much to the mass strife and confusion of the internet is simply down to people not knowing what the words they use mean?

Or being intentionally misled about them. People who enjoy being awful in various ways have a vested interest in reframing the opposition as "political correctness" in order to make it easier to dismiss or ridicule. The vast majority of usage of the term "political correctness" is in dismissing or ridiculing it.