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Enshittification": The Degradation of Online Services
Cory Doctorow coined the term "enshittification" to describe the degradation of online services, such as Google search results, Instagram hashtags, YouTube videos, Netflix account sharing, and Skyscanner flight prices, as platforms prioritize profits over user experience.
- What are the key characteristics of the "enshittification" of online platforms, and how has this impacted user experience?
- The term "enshittification," coined by Cory Doctorow, describes the degradation of online services. Initially, platforms like Google, Instagram, YouTube, Netflix, and Skyscanner offered superior user experiences, free from aggressive advertising and price manipulation. This changed as platforms prioritized profit over user experience.
- What are the underlying economic incentives driving the "enshittification" of online platforms, and how do these incentives affect users?
- Doctorow's term highlights a shift in online platform business models. The seamless experiences of the past—uninterrupted video viewing, easy account sharing, and transparent pricing—have been replaced by intrusive advertising, algorithmic manipulation, and price gouging. This shift reflects a prioritization of monetization over user satisfaction.
- What potential regulatory or user-driven responses might counteract the "enshittification" of online platforms, and what are the challenges associated with such responses?
- The "enshittification" of online platforms points towards a future where user experience is continually eroded to maximize profit. This trend may lead to increased user frustration, a decline in trust in online services, and potential regulatory intervention to protect consumer rights. The widespread adoption of Doctorow's term indicates a growing awareness and dissatisfaction with this phenomenon.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing is generally neutral, presenting a historical overview of the changes in digital platforms and introducing the term 'enshittification' as a way to describe this phenomenon. The author's personal experience is used to illustrate the problem but doesn't dominate the narrative.
Language Bias
The language used is mostly neutral and descriptive. The term 'enshittification' itself is informal and slightly negative, but accurately reflects the sentiment of the author and the subject. The use of words like "pourrissement" (rotting) in the French translation also conveys the negative aspect of the phenomenon. However, the article attempts to be factual in its account.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article describes the "enshittification" of digital platforms, where services degrade over time, leading to unequal access to information and resources. This disproportionately affects users with limited technical skills or financial resources, exacerbating existing inequalities.