"Freedom of speech" is not the same as "freedom to lie on Youtube".
Let's say I want to say something pro-China. I have the freedom to do that (even, at the moment, on Youtube). But that's not an influence operation.
Let's say I want to consistently say pro-China things, with an idea of moving US opinion and policy, while pretending to be, say, a housewife in Dayton, while I'm really in mainland China working for their government as part of an ongoing campaign. That's an influence operation.
Let's say I want to say something pro-China. I have the freedom to do that (even, at the moment, on Youtube). But that's not an influence operation.
Let's say I want to consistently say pro-China things, with an idea of moving US opinion and policy, while pretending to be, say, a housewife in Dayton, while I'm really in mainland China working for their government as part of an ongoing campaign. That's an influence operation.