Broadely , I would attribute it to things getting worse. And the increased awareness and reaction to things getting worse.
Sliding it neatly in with the rest of the modern pantheon of stories where, they don’t contest things are bad. It’s just that the villains want to solve the problems in a way that’s worse.
Don’t forget about the third trope in this triangle: Boof the Hamster.
Lemmiwinks! Lemmi, Lemmiwinks! Lemmiwinks!