i haven’t read your linked article yet, but your comment reminded me of adam curtis’ documentary, all watched over by machines of ever loving grace. it covers the idea that the internet’s decentralization was supposed to liberate us but has instead had the opposite effect. i may be misremembering, but i think he even covers a communal society that was supposed to be without any control or governance that ended up being a messpool of social politics and power struggles.
thanks for the article link.