It was legalized in 2013, so the answer is "yes."

https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/07/14/u-s-repeals-propaganda-...

To be fair, social advertising accidents do happen all the time, everywhere.

But USAGM (VOA/RFERL/etc) broadcasting to America is still barred today as it was then. That cited law was a modernization to Smith-Mundt recognizing that internet works very differently than the old method of pointing a shortwave antenna toward somewhere and bouncing the signal off the atmosphere.

There was a relaxation clause for affiliates that often gets misinterpreted and intent of that relaxation was to permit any private news agencies to request and use VOA material. For example, a Minnesota radio station can use VOA Somali material, but that part is up to the free market.

I wonder if this has been used since then?

Legally cannot on US citizens. We werent even allowed to use drones to help civilian search and rescue missions due to fears of being accused of spying on citizens. This was in 2015.

That’s a little misleading, if the American government wants to do some surveillance on its citizens using military resources he can do so via partnership with the CIA and the NSA or any other domestic agency that has the authority to do it.

The CIA and the NSA or whatever civilian agency will make the actual program and then “use” (let) military resources do their thing.

Would it be less of a scandal if FB and Google participated in psychological operations on users, without any help from the US military nor IC?

All I know is Google shows me Meghan Markle news every single day. I don't click the articles, but one day they will break me.

There's what you see, and there's what you don't see.

Enjoy the bread and circus, citizen.

Yes. Of course. It's a new battlefield.

just a typical clutching of pearls "scandal" that follows every completely plausible but as of yet unknown .gov action