This episode uncovers how Silicon Valley’s pursuit of profit has led to the "enshittification" of the internet, transforming platforms from user-friendly spaces to exploitative monopolies. It offers a critical perspective on how businesses prioritize shareholder value over user experience and actionable insights into understanding and potentially countering platform decay.
Key takeaways
Understand the three stages of enshittification: generous to users, exploitative of users/businesses, and finally exploitative of everyone for shareholder profit.
Recognize how network effects and monopoly power contribute to the decline in quality of online services and e-commerce platforms.
Identify business strategies like prioritizing ads, manipulating search results, and reducing organic reach that lead to "enshittified" customer experiences.
Consider the impact of venture capital’s incentive for rapid growth and value extraction on the long-term health of platforms relevant to your e-commerce operations.
Explore the role of regulation and antitrust action in fostering a healthier, more user-centric internet for both consumers and businesses.
This is Sarah Jeong, features editor at The Verge. I’m standing in for Nilay for one final Thursday episode here as he settles back into full-time hosting duties. Today, we’ve got a fun one. I’m talking to Cory Doctorow, prolific author, internet activist, and arguably one of the fiercest tech critics writing today. He has a new book out called Enshittifcation: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. So I sat down with Cory to discuss what enshittification is, why it’s happening, and how we might fight it. Links: Enshittification | Macmillan Why every website you used to love is getting worse | Vox The age of Enshittification | The New Yorker Yes, everything online sucks now — but it doesn’t have to | Ars Technica The enshittification of garage-door openers reveals vast, deadly rot | Cory Doctorow Mark Zuckerberg emails outline plan to neutralize competitors | The Verge Google gets to keep Chrome, judge rules in antitrust case | The Verge How Amazon wins: by steamrolling rivals and partners | WSJ A new web DRM standard has security researchers worried | The Verge Netflix, Microsoft & Google just changed how the web works | The Outline Subscribe to The Verge to access the ad-free version of Decoder! Credits: Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Our producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. Our editor is Ursa Wright. The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.
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What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Understand the three stages of enshittification: generous to users, exploitative of users/businesses, and finally exploitative of everyone for shareholder profit.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Recognize how network effects and monopoly power contribute to the decline in quality of online services and e-commerce platforms.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Identify business strategies like prioritizing ads, manipulating search results, and reducing organic reach that lead to "enshittified" customer experiences.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Consider the impact of venture capital’s incentive for rapid growth and value extraction on the long-term health of platforms relevant to your e-commerce operations.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Explore the role of regulation and antitrust action in fostering a healthier, more user-centric internet for both consumers and businesses.
