Do you find yourself increasingly frustrated with the internet? You are not alone. The once vibrant and user-centric digital landscape appears to be decaying, a phenomenon that technology critic Corey Doctorow has starkly labelled 'enshittification'.
In a revealing discussion with Nosheen Iqbal, Doctorow detailed his compelling theory for why major platforms, including Amazon, Google, and Instagram, seem to be offering a progressively worsening experience for their users.
The Three Stages of Enshittification
Doctorow's framework breaks down the decline into three distinct phases. It begins with platforms attracting users by offering genuine value and a superb experience. Once a large, loyal user base is locked in, the platform shifts its focus to aggressively courting business customers and advertisers.
The final, and most painful stage for the end-user, arrives when the platform begins systematically extracting value from everyone. It funnels profits to its shareholders by degrading the user experience, pushing more ads, and making services less functional for the very people who made it successful.
What Can Be Done to Stop the Digital Decline?
The situation is not hopeless. Doctorow argues for concrete actions to combat this trend. He is a prominent voice advocating for stronger antitrust enforcement and regulations that promote interoperability between services.
The core idea is to give users real power and choice. If people can easily leave a platform that treats them poorly and take their data and connections with them, companies would be forced to compete on quality and service once again, reversing the enshittification process.
This critical analysis forces a necessary conversation about the power dynamics of our modern digital world and the future we want for the internet.
