Virtue signaling is typically used to mean one of a few things. These are my own rough definitions:
"Saying virtuous sounding things without any intention of acting in accordance with those virtues."
(I don't think that's what's happening here)
"Saying virtuous sounding things that are so in line with the virtues of the zeitgeist that they take no moral fortitude to say."
I think that this is closer to what they meant. It's not necessarily a valid criticism in this case, but I hope you understand how people could find it off-putting when people signal their virtue in the couple of ways I mentioned.
"Saying virtuous sounding things without any intention of acting in accordance with those virtues."
(I don't think that's what's happening here)
"Saying virtuous sounding things that are so in line with the virtues of the zeitgeist that they take no moral fortitude to say."
I think that this is closer to what they meant. It's not necessarily a valid criticism in this case, but I hope you understand how people could find it off-putting when people signal their virtue in the couple of ways I mentioned.