I don't think the moderators are necessarily employed by the US Government. The gravitational pull of power, particularly state power, is something some people have a hard time resisting.
I am pretty shocked about the ban on RT as it seems like a legitimate news org that helps fill in the gaps in coverage.
It is very unlikely that participants in spinning online forums are direct government employees. PR agencies do this. There are even GSA schedules for buying PR services from an established group of firms. What you see on TV and read in mainstream newspapers has been steered by this PR. It would be anomalous to think online forum influence isn't on the menu of services.
I am pretty shocked about the ban on RT as it seems like a legitimate news org that helps fill in the gaps in coverage.