The problem is you're operating under the fallacy that only concentrated power is a problem. Regulation (concentrated power) is the only thing that keeps distributed power from steamrolling over people just as much.

Agreed. My complaint isn't even so much about the abuse itself, it's the accompanying song and dance about the superiority of democracy, the trustworthiness of the press, the claims to the systemic & cultural superiority of the US over "authoritarian", "speech-restricting" countries like China, etc etc etc. It stops being funny after a while. At least China's leaders are honest about what they are: communist authoritarians. They also seem to be doing a much, much better job at governing on almost all points (obvious issues like the Uyghurs situation excepted of course).