Computer Says Maybe Gotcha! Enshittification w/ Cory Doctorow (replay)
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Jan 6, 2026 
Cory Doctorow, a science fiction novelist and tech activist, dives into the alarming phenomenon of enshittification. He explains how platforms attract users, lock them in, and then exploit them, turning into what he calls 'durable zombies.' Doctorow discusses why technologies can become scams and how concepts like interoperability can empower users. He also introduces the intriguing notion of a ‘chickenized reverse centaur’ to illustrate labor exploitation in the digital age. Tune in for insights on reforming tech policies and escaping platform traps!
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Code, Law, Norms, Markets Shape Tech
- Outcomes reflect a mix of code, law, norms, and markets rather than inevitability.
- Changing these levers can produce very different technological futures.
Profitability Enables Mass Surveillance
- Profitability, not malice alone, drives industries like data brokerage and surveillance.
- Laws and norms that change profitability would have reduced large-scale privacy abuses.
Three-Stage Platform Decay
- Platforms follow a three-stage decay: hook users, extract from businesses, then degrade for everyone.
- They stabilize as zombies because lock-in and extraction preserve their market power.
