Different in degree
Indeed. Even after the first press started cranking out information, that information was still fairly limited to those that could read, those that could read Latin, and those that could afford the books. The internet saturates a far greater proportion of the population. That's why memes have become so powerful. Image and short text: pow, straight into the brain. Sort of the same thing as the icons in a stain glass window. Communicate with symbols and keeps the words short and potent.