Having the ability to properly operate any machine is not 'elitist'. Computers and the internet were not made for the purposes they are used as now - and therefore they are heavily exploitable for others profit. People that don't understand how it works are significantly more suspectible to apply real world principles in ways that are entirely non applicable.

The average person trusts what others say and does not have a basic understanding of what constitutes facts and evidence. Therefore they cannot navigate truth through the internet.