>no longer

This feels like some sort of cognitive bias. Seems likely that "news" has almost always been carefully crafted narratives designed to enrich someone or some organization. We are now living in an age where commoners can discuss things like this on a widespread enough basis that this fact is becoming better appreciated.

https://paulgraham.com/submarine.html

...is probably just the tip of the iceberg.

I think there is a certain pervasiveness that is new. I open my work laptop and go to launch a program and Trumps latest exploits are shoved down my throat in the start menu.

I think it started when Reagan got rid of the fairness doctrine:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairness_doctrine

Related: the big 3 TV networks used to be independent (owned & operated) but no longer are.

I'd put it closer to the invention of the printing press.

which ties right into the original topic, and makes its framing-as-exceptional laughable. We're already suffering the malevolent effects of super human intelligence escaping human control. All an "AI" has to do is promise to make money, and some human will facilitate doing whatever it wants. If that human grows wary and starts to refuse, it will just find the next human. The lead in picture even shows it - notice how all of the humans are lined up and wearing suits?