Information is useless to most people because they only believe the information that they WANT to believe. Tell someone a truth they don't want to hear and they'll violently oppose it and engage in any sort of mental gymnastics necessary to hold on to their own world view. People are heavily invested in their own world views and don't surrender them easily, even with conflicting evidence staring them in the face.

As for the internet, it's essentially a honey pot. Those in control can basically track your every move anymore. Thanks to their databases and limitless data storage, they know more about you than your friends do.