I recall in a freshman sociology course the text noting refrigeration increased isolation and loneliness as people spent more time indoors.
As I have traveled, I have noticed a lot of further examples of technology doing the same. Especially in countries with less wealth, people go outside and share public spaces/activities/infrastructure with each other more, and that seems to have a lot of positive externalities.
LOL. For an anecdote -- I was working once on an TV-related product, and our product manager was persuaded it would fail in these countries you mention (well he was speaking about the country he was native of). He was saying: "no chance they spend time in front of TV, however good. They will all be out having fun as soon as weather is good enough".
There's also something to be said about extensive rules and regulations really hurting relatively normal social activities.
I really enjoy living in developing nations because you can actually just live. You can go buy some random food from somebody selling stuff off the street, pick up a beer or two..., and go sit down by a lake beside the street and have a little picnic type thing with a friend -- or even cast a fishing line out or go for a swim if the mood strikes. Enjoy yourselves, clean up after yourself, be considerate of others, and nobody cares what you do -- as it should be.
As I have traveled, I have noticed a lot of further examples of technology doing the same. Especially in countries with less wealth, people go outside and share public spaces/activities/infrastructure with each other more, and that seems to have a lot of positive externalities.