I watched an interview with a NYU professor of media studies recently. He's currently suing the university for reprimanding him.

What strikes me about your comment is your assumption:

But one thing seems certain, the US govt has mostly been hands-off in terms of how the internet is used by its citizens.

The professor noted that those who are under the sway of propaganda are not generally aware of the deception.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7ff6cJVLKs