QAA Podcast Cory Doctorow DESTROYS Enshitification (E338)
39 snips
Aug 30, 2025 
Cory Doctorow, a philosopher, journalist, and a Professor-at-large at Cornell University, dives into the murky waters of 'enshitification'—the decline of quality in tech due to profit motives. He humorously critiques Facebook's evolution and discusses the challenges posed by giants like Amazon on independent publishing. Doctorow also examines how conspiracy theories distract from systemic societal issues, emphasizing the need for collective awareness in the gig economy. The conversation highlights AI's impact on creativity and the pivotal role of the Electronic Frontier Foundation in defending digital rights.
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Why Platforms Rot Into Dominance
- Platforms become dominant by mediating groups and then exploiting that position to extract value.
- Doctorow calls this multi-step decay 'enshitification' and shows it explains many platform failures.
The Three-Stage Pattern Of Decay
- Enshitification follows a three-stage arc: delight users, lock them, then repurpose them for extractive business customers.
- This pattern explains why platforms first look great and later become hostile to users and partners.
Facebook's Early Promise And Lock-In
- Doctorow recounts Facebook's early pitch: show you posts from people who matter and 'never spy' on you.
- He contrasts that initial promise with later lock-in tactics that made Facebook a 'roach motel'.
