Choke, or check, chains are as cruel as cars or guns if the person using them is incompetent. They are legitimate tools when used with an understanding of the individual dog being handled.
Prong collars are also a tool and, in the right hands, are even better than check chains. They spread any pressure from a correction around the neck of the dog instead of concentrating the majority of the pressure on the front and at the ring. The prongs are there to spread the pressure, not to inflict injury or pain in any way.
They look, and are, savage in the wrong hands.
Maybe the time has come for legislation - there are many people that I have seen that should not be allowed to handle a dog let alone use these tools.