Future Tense
Cory Doctorow: Platform capitalism and the curse of "enshittification"
Oct 29, 2023
Cory Doctorow, Canadian sci-fi author and digital rights activist, discusses the concept of 'enshittification' in platform capitalism. He explores how platforms like Amazon, Facebook, and Uber exploit users and create barriers to exit. Doctorow highlights the need for regulation, breaking up monopolies, and empowering users. He also discusses the impact of cheap capital on platform growth and the urgent need to reclaim power in the digital world.
29:08
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Quick takeaways
- The phenomenon of "enshittification" refers to the decay of platforms as they shift from offering attractive deals to exploiting users and business customers.
- Users and business customers become mutual hostages to platforms, creating a power dynamic where platforms can exploit vulnerabilities and extract more value at the expense of users and businesses.
Deep dives
The decay of platforms and the process of N-Shitification
The podcast discusses the concept of N-Shitification coined by Corey Doctorow, which refers to the decay of platforms. As platforms grow, they start off by offering great deals to attract users and lock them in. For example, Amazon initially offered low prices and free shipping with Prime, but later locked users in through digital rights management and exclusive access. Additionally, social media platforms like Facebook promised to show users content they wanted to see, but later changed the rules and flooded feeds with unwanted ads and content. As platforms lock in users, they shift focus to their business customers, extracting more value from them while providing diminishing benefits to users.
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