Better Offline Cory Doctorow and Ed Zitron on Enshittification and the Rot Economy
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Nov 12, 2025 
Cory Doctorow, an author and digital-rights activist, joins Ed Zitron, a tech industry commentator, for an eye-opening discussion on enshittification and the Rot Economy. They delve into how tech platforms have degraded to maximize profits and the implications of monopolization. The duo explores the inevitability of this decay under capitalism and suggests that real change demands collective political action. They also assess the looming AI bubble and offer practical advice for students on skills to pursue in today's job market.
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Why Google 'Sucked' On Purpose
- Google deliberately degraded search to increase ad impressions and growth, a symptom of platform incentives.
- Cory Doctorow links this to policy choices that enabled monopolies and the "rot economy."
Policy, Not Users, Built The Rot
- Antitrust rollback created firms too big for regulators or markets to discipline, enabling enshittification.
- Cory Doctorow says market capture and regulatory capture arose from deliberate policy shifts since the 1970s–80s.
Show Up At Town Halls To Stop Bad Builds
- Attend local town halls and oppose unnecessary data center or AI infrastructure projects actively.
- Ed Zitron recommends informed, persistent civic engagement to block harmful buildouts.
