Information operations directed at Hong Kong

So this has become the norm now. Social media products who’s primary utility is to share information between people are now being used by governments to sow discord.

Nothing new except the medium.

Your basically complaining that paper can be used to write whatever you want on it, by you and by people you don't like.

The speed and reach makes it different. You wouldn't say that flying is like walking faster - it's fundamentally different.

They're just yet another business selling user's attention. That's not new. The utility was never users sharing with each other, it was always users providing minable information.

All of that information sharing just makes the sold attention more valuable to the buyers.

Not even close to an accurate comparison. It's not just paper - it's a printing press that can push your message directly to a device into the pocket of people who belong to specific groups that you want to target.

How is that different from spreading false information through newspapers when that was the primary source of people's information?

It's like the difference between the bow-and-arrow and handguns. Lower barrier to entry, greater potential for harm.