“Enshittification” is an overused word. Every time a company adds a feature we don’t like, it’s enshittification. Every time a company raises their price, it’s enshittification. Switch to subscription? Enshittification. Redesign? Enshittification.
Cory Doctorow defined enshittification as “how platforms die.” But when I look at the usual suspects of enshittification, it seems more like wishful thinking.
TikTok’s revenue is growing every year. YouTube’s revenue is growing every year. Netflix’s profit went up after cracking down on password sharing. Threads is growing like crazy, now with 275 million users. Maybe we should stop calling it enshittification until these platforms actually die.
Recently, I stumbled upon some “regular people” communities. They treat these enshittified platforms like a fact of life.
How do I get more likes on Instagram? I accidentally watched a YouTube video, how do I stop the algorithm from recommending anything similar? My Threads account was flagged, and I can’t follow anyone—how do I fix this? (You can’t, you just wait it out. It’s just life.)
It’s like they’re plugged into the Matrix, living a normal life, eating their simulated steak. And I live on an old ship, eating food that tastes like a bowl of snot.
Maybe to them, I’m the one who’s out of touch.
