The term “enshittification,” coined by journalist and activist Cory Doctorow in 2022, refers to the deterioration of services, especially online, as giant companies extract maximum profits from their customers. In a 2023 essay, Doctorow explained the process: companies initially offer good products to attract users, then they abuse users to benefit business customers, and finally, they exploit those business customers for their own gain until the platform dies. This phenomenon is not limited to the online world.
It can be seen in various services and products across the economy. The Australian dictionary Macquarie even named it the word of the year, recognizing its ability to capture the feeling that many aspects of life are declining. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, provides a clear example of enshittification.
Facebook originally gained users by offering a simple way to connect with friends without intrusive data collection. However, as the company shifted focus to publishers and advertisers, the user experience suffered. Users were shown content they never asked for, but they remained locked into the platform due to their connections.
Meta’s gradual platform decline
Advertisers also experienced the negative effects of enshittification. Despite being initially attracted by sophisticated targeting, they found themselves paying more for less return as ad fraud increased.
Users, publishers, and advertisers all saw diminishing value, leading to widespread dissatisfaction. According to Doctorow, companies like Meta are often insulated from consequences until they reach a breaking point, such as declining user numbers or shareholder dissatisfaction. Meta’s recent failures, like the expensive and unsuccessful Metaverse project, illustrate this issue.
The future of these large platforms appears grim. Doctorow suggests that they risk becoming “zombies,” similar to MySpace—a site that still exists but offers nothing more than AI-generated content and spam. Despite this bleak outlook, Doctorow remains optimistic.
He believes that weak points in the system provide opportunities for strategic advancements. As both a science fiction writer and an activist, Doctorow sees potential for positive change, even as enshittification continues to affect the tech world.
