It's a continuum, not a binary distinction. People tend to say, "this is government" or "this is not government". I disagree with that model, but it's a defensi

It's a continuum, not a binary distinction. People tend to say, "this is government" or "this is not government". I disagree with that model, but it's a defensible position. What's not defensible is saying "this is not government therefore the first amendment doesn't apply" to a corporation that was secretly deputized by a government agency. To answer your question, here's an example continuum from "more government" to "less government": 1. Elected officials 2. Federal employees / appointees 3. The Federal Reserve (private but heavily controlled) 4. Facebook (private but deputized) 5. Your local bank (whose existence is a government granted monopoly) 6. Utilities (some regional monopolies / limited competition) 7. General Motors / General Electric (heavily subsidized via negative taxes / bailouts) 8. General Mills (regulated but not necessarily beholden) 9. 3M (held to general standards like OSHA) 10. You (for definitions of you that do not fit into an example above) People act like the line is somewhere between #2 and #3, but the reality is likely past #7.