[motohagiography]

Given a technology is necessarily the expression of a power differential on its subject, whether it's a stick being used as a lever or a GANN, it puts the pilot of it in a position where they must have an abstract understanding of consequences, and then actively articulate choices about how to apply it - yes, all tech is a forcing function for moral questions. Particularly, "should I?" and, "why?"

We already consult tech for decisions with moral consequences when we google it. We also test ideas using tech by seeing whether they align with popular narratives by posting them on social media. I'd even say most educated people under the age of 40 are already entirely dependent on social media for moral guidance and approval. "Do it for the 'gram," summarizes it well. However, TV was the same way. When most of the reference relationships you have a mediated by tech, your reference point is going to be an artifact of that tech. Then as now, the medium is the message.

The other piece is Clarke's addage about sufficiently advanced tech being indistinguishable from magic becomes newly interesting when you see the effect of powerful tech causing people to optimize their lives and moral choices to curry favour with it - in effect, worshiping the magic. In this context, social media may just be another form of primitive magical worship that subordinates the human spirit to bargaining with flighty and mercurial gods, with superstitions about its workings in the place of a coherent ethical framework.

I think this is what Gaiman's "American Gods" was about.