Think about it this way.. when tech folk got hooked up to mainline net access 24/7, it wasn't exactly good for us. Think 1970s cocaine consumption.
When the rest of the population got Facebook, that's a refined and potent strain being sold into a population with no natural immunity or defensive mechanisms. Now it's 1990 and there's a crack dealer on every corner in poor neighborhoods.
Those politicians who were at the wheel in 2008-10 must bear a share of the blame. They could see this coming, or should have done. There was far too much complacency about what was festering online and how easily it spread.
Did none of our leaders hear about Gamergate in, what, 2015 and go, hang on we've got a BIG problem brewing here? Even GG wasn't really that much of a shock/surprise if you'd been paying attention since the mid 00's.