People are going to leverage the resources at hand to get ahead, no matter what.

This is why so many support the basic "code is law" scenario - as long as the code is changing to keep up with shifts in needs.

The more exposure they get to classified info not generally available to the public, the more valuable it becomes as the game plays out.

For instance, they sell "privacy" on the surface level - whilst mining our data so that nothing we do is private to them.

I think the only way to bring some balance is through decentralized governance of various kinds, that mean that no one can commandeer it and then cement their position easily.