Facebook now appears to watch RT's every step, but it has allowed the US government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to publish political ads targeting Americans, while introducing restrictions for other media.
The alarm over a federal-backed outlet targeting its Facebook ads at US audiences was sounded by the New York Times. The paper said that the move constituted a "potential violation" of the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948, which protects Americans citizens from domestic propaganda.
It's illegal for federal-funded news organizations under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) to promote their content in the US without a special request – and no such request was received by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) this time around.
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