[ajuc]

I like Tim Snyder's take on this.

Communication technology is critical for everything else, it changes how society functions, what forms of government and country sizes are viable, what people can think of.

Every time there has been progress in communication technology - there was disruption, wars, millions of deaths.

It happened when handwritten books enabled organized religions.

It happened when printed books enabled reformation.

It happened when radio enabled totalitarian systems in early 20th century (both Hitler and Stalin gave away state-funded radio receivers to people).

It happens now with social media.

Previous forms of government aren't sustainable till we adapt our laws and governments to the new communication technology (like BBC and media laws were democracies' response to totalitarian radios and tvs).