"Do you ever get the feeling that the internet isn't what it used to be? Well, tech critic Corey Doctorow thinks you're right and he has a term to describe it too: enshittification'. He lays out his three-step theory to Nosheen Iqbal, explaining why sites from Amazon to Google to Instagram seem to offer a worsening experience and what can be done to stop it."
"He lays out his three-step theory to Nosheen Iqbal, explaining why sites from Amazon to Google to Instagram seem to offer a worsening experience and what can be done to stop it."
Enshittification names a predictable three-stage lifecycle where platforms initially prioritize user experience to grow, then shift to favor suppliers or advertisers, and finally monetize users at the expense of quality. The incentive shift produces ad saturation, poorer product experiences, and increased friction as platforms pursue short-term revenue. Network effects and market concentration make displacement by competitors difficult, allowing incumbents to entrench extractive practices. Policy responses include antitrust enforcement, interoperability and data portability standards, open protocols, and support for smaller, user-centered alternatives to realign incentives toward user welfare.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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