These trade sanctions are backwards. I understand that a couple of decades ago, a state could influence a target state by banning the trade of personal computer

These trade sanctions are backwards. I understand that a couple of decades ago, a state could influence a target state by banning the trade of personal computers and software to that country as this would have a severe impact on the countries ability to develop it's military and economic sectors. However, banning personal computing devices nowadays seems to hurt the people living in these regimes rather than the alleged tyrants ruling them. Excuse my altruism and naivete for a second, but isn't the whole point of the sanctions to leave these states weak to the will of the people ? If I was an insidious western leader with an interest in destabilising these governments, I'd give their people access to as much apps and media and other propaganda channels as possible.