Podcast 710 – Cory Doctorow – “Disenshittify or Die!”
Nov 25, 2024
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Cory Doctorow, celebrated author and digital rights activist, sheds light on "inshittification," where online services deteriorate due to corporate greed. He critiques tech giants like Amazon and TikTok for prioritizing profit over user experience. Doctorow advocates for stronger antitrust laws, new privacy legislation, and the empowerment of tech workers through unions. He envisions a 'new good internet' that champions user agency and promotes equitable access, urging collective action for a decentralized digital landscape.
Cory Doctorow introduces the concept of 'inshittification,' highlighting how online services degrade as companies prioritize profit over user experience.
He emphasizes that the decline in competition and regulation allows monopolistic practices to thrive, affecting user satisfaction and service quality.
Doctorow advocates for a collective approach to creating a 'new good internet' through stronger regulations, user empowerment, and support for fair competition.
Deep dives
Understanding Inshittification
Inshittification refers to the gradual decline of online platforms and services that were once user-friendly, as companies prioritize profit over user experience. This concept embodies the transition from platforms like Google and Facebook, which originally provided value and efficiency, to their current states, where monetization strategies have led to a decreased quality of service. For instance, Google now integrates more ads into search results, ultimately diminishing the effectiveness of its search engine. Similarly, Facebook has evolved from showing users posts from friends to a feed dominated by advertisements and sponsored content, showcasing a shift away from user-first design.
The Cycle of Inshittification
Inshittification occurs in distinct stages, starting with offering value to end users and then locking them into platforms to maintain a user base. Companies apply various strategies to keep users from leaving, including creating network effects, where users feel compelled to stay because of connections with others who are also users. For example, Facebook’s pervasive social network entraps users despite dissatisfaction because their social circles are often tied to the platform. Once users are locked in, companies begin phase two, which involves making the service worse for users while catering to business customers, ultimately extracting more profit.
The Mechanism of Twiddling
The term twiddling describes the manipulation of online platforms by companies to change business operations behind the scenes, such as pricing and search ranking, often in subtle ways that extract more value from users. This behavior is prevalent in tech companies that continuously adjust their offerings to maximize profits while minimizing customer satisfaction. For instance, algorithmic wage discrimination can occur with ride-sharing services like Uber, where drivers are offered varying pay based on their recent acceptance of rides. Such manipulative tactics effectively exploit users' reliance on the platform while obscuring the true costs involved.
The Role of Competition and Regulation
The decline of robust competition and effective regulation has contributed significantly to the phenomenon of inshittification within tech companies. Previous anti-competitive behaviors, such as monopolistic acquisitions or predatory pricing strategies, have gone unchallenged due to lax enforcement of antitrust laws. For example, major companies have exploited their market dominance to stifle innovative competitors, which could have offered better services. Without the fear of losing users to competitors, tech firms feel less pressure to prioritize user experience, allowing them to turn their focus towards profit maximization.
Building a New Good Internet
Despite the challenges of inshittification, there is a pathway toward crafting a new, user-focused internet. This approach involves re-establishing competition, enhancing regulations, and restoring user empowerment through self-help initiatives like the right to repair movement. Users can support legislative changes that promote fair competition and consumer privacy while embracing decentralized platforms that prioritize community over corporate interests. Ultimately, building a new good internet requires collective efforts from individuals, policymakers, and tech workers to ensure that the technology serves the people rather than exploiting them.
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Guest speaker: Cory Doctorow
PROGRAM NOTES:
In this 2024 Palenque Norte lecture, Cory Doctorow discusses "inshitification," the process by which initially good online services degrade over time.
He argues this occurs because four constraints—competition, regulation, interoperability, and worker power has weakened, allowing companies to prioritize profit maximization over user experience. Doctorow proposes solutions including strengthening antitrust enforcement, passing new privacy laws, promoting right-to-repair legislation, and empowering tech workers through unionization.
The ultimate goal is to create a "new good internet" that is resistant to inshitification and serves users' needs.
Cory Doctorow's Website
Electronic Frontier Foundation
The Repair Coalition
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