There was also heavy government censorship of the press during WWI, which suppressed early reports of the pandemic. That should be a cautionary tale to people in the present day who want more centralized control over what people can say online - the censors might not always be on your side.
However, your point is also mislaid: there were plenty of anti-maskers at the time of the 1918 Influenza pandemic.
Ignoring or selectively using facts to support the narrative you wish were true did not start with the internet!