Enshittification
noun | in-shit-uh-fuh-KAY-shun
when a digital platform is made worse for users, in order to increase profits
when a digital platform is made worse for users, in order to increase profits
What it means
Enshittification is an informal word used to criticize the degradation in the quality and experience of online platforms over time, due to an increase in advertisements, costs, or features. It can also refer more generally to any state of deterioration, especially in politics or society. Similar forms include enshittify and enshittified.
Examples
I think the worst part, truly, is the enshittification of Google. Search engines put the Internet on the map, it was the tool that allowed normal people to start using it. Now, it’s just AI hallucinations, fake news, and slop.
—@roanokemarxist, BlueSky, 20 Jan. 2025
Enshittification is everywhere you look. The collapse of liberal society and the hegemony of wealthy overlords is nearly complete. Los Angeles is burning but people in Oklahoma want to ban any actions designed to address the results of an overheating planet.
—Steve Hanley, CleanTechnica, 11 Jan. 2025
Xbox Game Pass remains one of the best deals in gaming, but it is getting worse. This week, Microsoft completely upended its pricing structure for its game subscription service … Once you start raising prices and restricting common features, you’re already on the path toward enshittification.
—Kyle Barr, Gizmodo, 12 July 2024
—@roanokemarxist, BlueSky, 20 Jan. 2025
Enshittification is everywhere you look. The collapse of liberal society and the hegemony of wealthy overlords is nearly complete. Los Angeles is burning but people in Oklahoma want to ban any actions designed to address the results of an overheating planet.
—Steve Hanley, CleanTechnica, 11 Jan. 2025
Xbox Game Pass remains one of the best deals in gaming, but it is getting worse. This week, Microsoft completely upended its pricing structure for its game subscription service … Once you start raising prices and restricting common features, you’re already on the path toward enshittification.
—Kyle Barr, Gizmodo, 12 July 2024
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