Intended? I don't think much technology is developed with long-term social impacts in mind. We're kind of careless like that. In the tech world we're only just starting to realise the importance of this, and then only because it's recently become apparent how frighteningly easy it is to reshape society with software. Most other industries' ethics stop at "don't kill people".

Predicted? It's impossible to predict perfectly. But a great many effects were predicted in one place or another - especially the negative effects. The Machine Stops, 1984, and Brave New World all deal with the themes of technologically networked society and mass visual media.

But you're incorrect, and the word "instead" in your original post is what makes you incorrect. We did get "Shakespeare to the masses" for whatever that's worth in general. It's not like his work is some objective benchmark of qualitative excellence - people just assert it is because they learn it from adoring fans during formal education.