The feds have been working hard to push the "freedom isn't free" agenda in order to persuade the public that Chinese style is acceptable if we are the ones doing it. You can see the effort on YouTube(through major podcasts and channels), TikTok, now the New York Times, among other places (for example, the ex-CIA guy that trended in YT for a while, who claims the government needs to surveil us to "keep us safe", and the CIA is "good", Snowden is a traitor, and all the deep state talking points, etc...). Straight propaganda, such as the one coming from Tass or XinHua news, is insane.