The US undoubtedly engages in widespread propaganda, but I think they use more "open" methods. They won't clandestinely pretend to be your local neighbor on a Facebook group, but they will gladly plaster enticing high production quality recruitment ads on every surface and openly foot the bill for the American tanks and fighter jets in the next action movie.

The funny thing about propaganda is that it is still largely effective even when openly disclosed as such. The human brain is a sucker.

I think the main vehicle is closeness to journalists, who get certain benefits regarding their profession and who are groomed to report in a certain way.

You could really see it working before the Iraq war in the US. It was unpopular until media really hammered it in with weapons of mass destruction and the allegedly imminent danger.

Not exclusive to the US, but western countries tend to keep key figures in the media very close aside from the more naive reporters.

>They won't clandestinely pretend to be your local neighbor on a Facebook group

Of course they will, and do. They do both. And it's not "pretending" — your neighbor could very well be one, and truly believe in The Cause.