Enshittification is the gradual breakdown in quality of digital platforms and services, driven by a three-stage cycle of corporate profit-seeking, market lock-in, and shifting value to shareholders. Popularized by writer Cory Doctorow, the term was named the 2023 Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society.
The Three Stages of Decay
Stage One: Platforms offer great value, low prices, or free services to attract users and build a large network.
Stage Two: Companies shift focus to business customers and advertisers, modifying features to monetize the captured user base.
Stage Three: Quality degrades severely for both users and business clients as the company extracts maximum short-term profits for owners and executives.
Common Examples
Search Engines: Results fill up with paid ads, sponsored links, and AI clutter instead of helpful web links.
Social Media: Feeds stop showing posts from friends and instead prioritize viral clickbait, ads, and algorithmic noise.
Gig Economy & Apps: Prices rise for consumers while worker pay drops through algorithmic manipulation.