Most of the people spouting off about "dont trust the experts" seemingly their process is to watch whatever youtube videos that confirm their preset opinion and then slam dunk their confirmation bias as if they are world class researchers.

As to the validity of masking and social distancing: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/02/children-fl... "The flu killed nearly 200 children last season. This time, 1 has died."

The notion that masks "might capture [exhaled] droplets" has a ton of circumstantial evidence behind it, and also as you note is a low cost low risk intervention. Which is why for those who are willing to wear masks, the use or lack of use of masks becomes a kind of proxy answer to the question "sooo... do you care about other people?" because as you note, they protect other people primarily.

Also, to categorize 'masks protect the wearer' as "misinformation", is a bit of a category stretch I think. "Vaccines are more harmful than covid" is misinformation, whereas "masks reduce the risk of spreading and catching covid" is.... not really in the same category as the former statement.