> b) the amusingly antique or simply wrong future tech. Cell access to the net is impossible unless you're in a city, and even then it's difficult? <Willy Wonka Meme> Tell me more.

To be fair, some of this is because of "failure to look ahead" and some is simply "if we let this happen, it would break the game/setting." I'm reminded of an issue of Amarillo Design Bureau's STAR FLEET BATTLES magazine from '91 where they talk about watching the end of ST 6, featuring a ship that can fire while remaining cloaked, and turning to each other and groaning, "We're gonna get maillll..."

That said, it works the other way around sometimes too.
1990: "Why is all of this stuff, all these doors and alarm systems and cameras and other devices, hooked up to the Net where any hacker can get into them?"
2020: "Why not?"

(*imitating Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber* "You ask me for a stupid security hole, I give you the Internet of Things.")