The very nature of networks and the internet has resulted in the concentration of "information flow" in a few 1000 (10,000?) nodes globally. These key nodes which act as transit points in the network have become monitoring points for many agents. In essence, the internet, in an effort to liberalize and disseminate information easily, has sufficiently centralized information flow into a few nodes. Encryption can help in this scenario, and hopefully gets stronger.

Prior to this, the means of monitoring were varied and took effort, often human. This meant it had to be selectively applied since there was a burden/cost to all out monitoring; as a result you had to know the task/persons you were to observer (and get a warrant). Now, capture can be all encompassing and automated; "searching for issues" is done later. Monitor everything, ask questions later.

Now this in itself is troubling but another side effect is that these transit nodes can be disabled by agents to suppress the dissemination of information from troubled areas. In this scenario, cryptography cannot help as the wire to the outside has been cut.

As traditional dissemination methods disappear or go online, and our information consumption is primarily online, these nodes can become very effective 'information suppression' points.