It isn't just big tech. It is that big tech decided to join fully with the rest of the power structure of the country: government, military, military industrial complex, media, law, health, education, etc... Those are the groups that actually run the country.
Now you have censorship by tech instead of just by government, propaganda by tech in addition to media, mandates by corporations and by government.
Before, tech just told government to compel them via law. Now, government works with tech and corporations to achieve governmental aims without writing laws. It is extrajudicial.
I don't think the USA is a democracy or it is less and less of a democracy.
Centralized organizational structures (governments, corps and ngos) in the US and abroad must be treated with extreme prejudice and avoided for decentralized/federated and open alternatives if available.
For those orgs above (or those who work apart of them) who will actively fight those from pursing decentralized/federated and open alternatives for all aspects of ones life: there is subversion, exfiltration, exploitation and demolition. The best of those orgs will help people bridge the gap to future where power isn't nearly as centralized to the degree it is now.
Now you have censorship by tech instead of just by government, propaganda by tech in addition to media, mandates by corporations and by government.
Before, tech just told government to compel them via law. Now, government works with tech and corporations to achieve governmental aims without writing laws. It is extrajudicial.
I don't think the USA is a democracy or it is less and less of a democracy.