Well, I would say - having grown up in the early days of the internet - that before the 'monopoly model' of internet companies, consumers simply didn't tolerate gatekeeping by private companies. It used to be easier to find the dissenting voices online than it is today, and keeping out minority opinions was seen as delivering an inferior product.
Essentially, big tech had been in a Moloch trap to the benefit of consumers, and now they've managed to co-ordinate their way out of it.