The Internet rewrites power structures. It's not just a matter of "information is power." It's also about the ability to speak, to communicate ideas and points of view. In the old hierarchical mass-media model, institutions (government, corporate) gathered and were reluctant to share such power. In the new world, social organization can proceed on a non-hierarchical model. Some might even call it a web (although arachnid webs actually are highly structured).
This is the context of the current clash between new media and old media. In a very thoughtful blog posting, Terry Heaton gets right to the point:
"It is nearly impossible for the enfranchised to understand what motivates the disenfranchised, because -- and I'm writing from a social perspective -- the lenses of the enfranchised are fixed on that which furthers their citizenship, not on the efforts of those trying to gain entry into the club."
Read the whole thing; it's worth your time.