Creating fake opposition might look dangerous. It says bad things about the government, but... When the time comes, it will support your trends and narratives, spread its own set of fakes and create a safe vector to release the steam.
Also connected to the phenomenos called large poppy syndrome and kakistocraty. The dictatorship destroys the best members of the society or puts them under survelliance to use for the regime's benefit. So, the ruling clique stays the smartest, most powerful kids on the block. However, a rigid clique wouldn't recognise some talents and technologies as "high poppies". That's where changes may grow.