Which makes me wonder - in the absence of the internet (e.g., disaster), what are good methods for organizing and disseminating information over a large area both electronic and non-electronic?
In places like Cuba where the Internet is really slow, users resort to "sneakernets" which consist of thousands of flash drives spreading through roads and towns with other users downloading and uploading media (like music, news or movies) as they pass along. While the ping is atrocious, it gets the job done ;)
As for non electronic methods: posters work well, as do pamphlets. In WWWII the Allies would use bombers to drop leaflets to spread propaganda as well as alert residents that their town was about to be bombed, so they had time to collect their belongings and get out. Of course these methods require an absurd amount of manpower compared to e.g. making a Facebook post or launching a WordPress site, which really makes you appreciate the power of modern communications platforms.
I would argue that in the absence of the internet, the best method for organizing and disseminating information over a large area would simply be to restore the internet if possible, or just restart it otherwise. Since ARPANET was built with nuclear war concerns in mind, all of the protocols we got out of that already account for decentralization and sudden node introduction/disconnection.
[1] https://qz.com/922010/meshkit-the-tech-behind-firechat-can-s...
[2] https://boingboing.net/2018/05/03/inside-cubas-massive-weekl...
Also, leaflets and posters if it is a prolonged thing.
I’ve heard the kids these days use p2p messaging on their phones (via bluetooth/wifi).
That could work as a way to move large files with plausible deniability.
(Edit: also, you should watch Max Headroom. They have a few prescient episodes on exactly this topic. The couple living out of a trailer, and the copyright crackdown episode come to mind.)