On the “Enshittification” of Platforms: Technology Is Only Human After All

  • > we’ve instead entered a period of “Enshittification”, where the platforms we loved and trusted have been taken over by corporate interests that no longer care what the users want or need.

    It's funny to me because we've been here for many years. i.e. Facebook hasn't given two shits what people want or need in a decade. People have been asking for more control of their feed, and complaining about user-hostile decisions made all this time. The other big tech cos are no different, and "trust" has always been low..

  • > …another way to look at it is that the system is working.

    Article literally argues that the system works because it provides 12-15 years of quality community experience, even if thereafter the community gets thoughtlessly torn apart and destroyed. In other words, the author doesn’t understand the true nature or value of community.

  • Well there you have it: enshittification is inevitable, and it works. Therefore the "easy" solution is to lubricate the ramps away from enshittified platforms.

    I do worry a bit when public stockholders (some of which are "regular" people) are the ones left holding the bag.

  • With all respect, fuck this. We can build platforms that won't be enshittified, we just choose not to, and throwing our hands up and saying "oh well! guess it's human nature to make everything bad in the name of shareholder value!" is a cop-out.

  • None of you are on Tumblr and it shows.

  • Enshittification starts at the keypress, yo. We are all responsible.