If you ve never heard the term enshittification, you re in for a treat. It was coined by author Cory Doctorow, and it perfectly describes what happens when platforms get so big that they slowly turn to...crap.
Instagram turning into a shopping mall
Amazon burying real products under a mountain of ads and sponsored maybe-it s-real-maybe-it s-not listings
TikTok pushing whatever keeps you scrolling, not whatever you actually care about
Twitter/X well, everybody knows
Doctorow explains enshittification in three phases:
The platform showers users with value: Everything is free, fun, simple, and frictionless. You think, Wow, capitalism isn t so bad after all.
The platform squeezes users to please business partners: More ads. More promotions. More recommended for you content that you did NOT ask for.
The platform squeezes partners to please shareholders: Everyone gets annoyed. The user experience collapses. And the magic disappears. Products that once felt cool now only make you more stressed and dissatisfied.
