Enshittification
what it means
A three-stage process: platforms are good to users, then good to businesses, then extract value from both. Coined as a precise description rather than a general complaint.
The predictable decay of online platforms as they squeeze users and then business customers for profit.
the origin story
Coined by writer Cory Doctorow in a widely-read 2022 essay describing the lifecycle of platforms.
It spread far beyond tech circles and was named the American Dialect Society's Word of the Year for 2023, with Macquarie Dictionary choosing it too. Its precision is why it stuck — it names a specific mechanism rather than just expressing frustration.
in the wild
Search results are now four ads and a sponsored post.
Textbook enshittification.
They put the core feature behind a subscription.
Stage three.
how to use it
- Describing platform decay with a specific mechanism in mind
- Tech and media commentary
- Discussing internet business models
- As a synonym for any product change you dislike
- In formal writing, given the profanity
- Without understanding the three-stage argument
related terms
receipts
Community feedback
keep scrolling
Glow-Down
The opposite of a glow-up — appearing to have declined rather than improved.
Slept On
Underrated — overlooked despite being genuinely good.
Hot Girl Summer
A season spent being confident, unbothered and out enjoying yourself.
Cheat Code
A trick or advantage that makes something much easier than it should be.