It seems obvious to me that protest movements in certain countries serve US security state interests and other protest movements in other countries do not. It would make sense in this context if you have e.g. a backdoored chat app which is otherwise secure that it would serve US security state interests for some protestors to have access to that app, and no harm if the protestors you don't like use it.

Recall that it is public information that USAID created a Twitter clone called Zunzuneo to be used in Cuba. It's not out of the realm of possibility that they have also made some "secure" chat app.