With shrinking tax bases, these areas will watch roads and infrastructure fall apart. With fewer traditional jobs, the young will be encouraged to leave. Another more positive scenario envisions all strata of our society sticking together and using the new technologies to benefit all. Distressed neighborhoods become wired along with rural towns, and people in both areas take advantage of the global economic opportunities. Over time, the knowledge economy increases overall prosperity and reduces poverty, and decreases the severity of those seemingly intractable social problems.
Violence dies down.
Don't count on it, but don't rule it out. These new technologies will not inevitably bring about any chain of events, good or bad. People can use them to bring out the best in themselves or the worst.