I think you mean that the only thing that's changed is that information that was tightly controlled by governments via a small but powerful set of mainstream me

I think you mean that the only thing that's changed is that information that was tightly controlled by governments via a small but powerful set of mainstream media channels to advance the notion of an open society that played by a tight set of rules and respect for civil rights has been augmented by a small and even more powerful set of big mainstream internet companies. Give yourselves a round of applause, Silicon Valley et al.