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Cory Doctorow

Author, journalist and long-time tech policy advocate associated with the Electronic Frontier Foundation; coined the term 'enshittification' and discusses policy fixes for platform decay.

Top 10 podcasts with Cory Doctorow

Ranked by the Snipd community
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365 snips
Oct 30, 2025 • 1h 10min

How Silicon Valley enshittified the internet

Cory Doctorow, an influential author and internet activist, delves into his concept of 'enshittification,' explaining how platforms decline and why this trend began around 2017. He highlights Facebook as a prime case of this decay, detailing its journey from innovation to mediocrity. Doctorow discusses the failures of U.S. tech regulation and contrasts the tech landscape with retail. He proposes solutions like sectoral bargaining and improved portability for users, and while he expresses hope for change, he remains critical of Big Tech's grip on the internet.
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180 snips
Oct 20, 2025 • 48min

The Great Enshittening

Cory Doctorow, a journalist and science fiction author known for his work on digital rights, dives deep into the concept of enshittification—the decline of online platforms. He unpacks how this decay happens, starting with Google's 2019 changes and extending to how other industries are affected. Doctorow discusses the reasons users stick with subpar platforms, the implications of monopolies, and the importance of potential reforms in policy and collective action. He poses an intriguing question: can we ever reverse this trend?
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109 snips
Oct 8, 2025 • 1h 46min

The Ensh*ttification of Everything with Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow, a renowned author and digital rights activist, dives deep into the concept he coined, 'enshittification.' He explains how tech giants systematically degrade our digital experiences for profit. From the stages of platform decay to the impact on real-world services like grocery pricing, Cory highlights the alarming trends of competition collapse and AI narratives that threaten jobs. He proposes radical solutions like legalizing jailbreaking and emphasizes the importance of user empowerment and grassroots organizing. It's a call to action against the status quo!
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72 snips
Oct 17, 2025 • 42min

Why Does It Feel Like Everything is Getting Worse? With Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow, a renowned author and tech policy advocate, dives into the concept of 'enshittification'—how digital platforms decay from user-friendly to frustrating. He explains that this decline is intentional and motivated by profit. Doctorow outlines a three-stage model of platform deterioration and emphasizes the role of monopolies in this process. He advocates for competitive practices, privacy reforms, and the repeal of restrictive laws to foster a healthier digital ecosystem. It’s a call to action for reclaiming our online spaces.
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43 snips
Oct 30, 2023 • 53min

An impossible journey into self-hosting

Peter Van Hardenburg, a researcher at Ink&Switch, and Cory Doctorow, an author and activist, dive into the world of self-hosting and local-first software. They discuss the challenges and benefits of self-hosting applications, highlighting privacy implications and technical complexities. Doctorow emphasizes the importance of interoperability, critiquing the influence of tech giants on user autonomy. The conversation also touches on the need for user-friendly tools and the future of technology that prioritizes flexibility, ownership, and meaningful design.
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19 snips
May 19, 2025 • 38min

The internet sucks now, and it happened on purpose

Cory Doctorow, a renowned novelist, blogger, and technology activist, discusses the troubling trajectory of the internet. He reveals how deliberate industry choices led to the current state of incessant ads and bots. Cory introduces the concept of 'unshittification,' detailing how platforms have shifted from user-friendly to profit-driven models. He humorously shares anecdotes about search engine struggles, while examining Google's evolution and systemic roots of our digital woes. Ultimately, he calls for an engaged response to reclaim the internet.
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19 snips
Mar 7, 2025 • 1h 2min

The Other Side of The Future

Cory Doctorow, a savvy activist and journalist, delves into the complexities of our tech-driven world. He shares insights from his latest novel, 'Picks and Shovels,' highlighting financial crime in 1980s Silicon Valley. The conversation tackles exploitative economic models, comparing pyramid schemes to cryptocurrency, and discusses the personal journeys of women leaving oppressive faiths. Doctorow emphasizes the need for a sustainable capitalism that fosters innovation while confronting monopolies and climate challenges, urging listeners to navigate digital privacy with care.
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17 snips
Oct 22, 2025 • 1h 17min

Cory Doctorow: Enshittification is Not Inevitable

Cory Doctorow, a well-known author and digital-rights activist, dives into the concept of 'enshittification'—a term he coined to describe how systemic choices lead to worsened user experiences in technology. He argues that this decline isn't inevitable but a result of policy decisions. Topics include the dangers of DRM, access controls affecting public health, and AI's potential job impacts. Cory also highlights the importance of interoperability and collective action for reclaiming technology for the public good.
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11 snips
Oct 20, 2025 • 21min

Why the internet sucks (and keeps getting worse)

Journalist and tech activist Cory Doctorow dives into the decline of the internet and introduces his concept of 'enshittification.' He explains how platforms like Facebook initially provide value before locking users in and then exploiting them. Doctorow discusses the impacts on publishers and advertisers, alongside the rise of techno-feudalism where companies extract rent. He advocates for antitrust measures to dismantle concentrated power and introduces the idea of a la carte platforms to empower users by allowing them to choose what they keep.
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11 snips
Jul 15, 2025 • 38min

Introducing "Understood: Who Broke Internet"

Cory Doctorow, a science fiction writer and internet activist, delves into the evolution of the digital landscape from a vibrant community to a cluttered ad-filled space. He critiques tech giants for the decline in internet quality, coining the term 'inshittification' to describe the degradation of user experience. The conversation highlights the internal struggles at Google between revenue generation and user satisfaction. Doctorow offers a path for reclaiming the internet as a space for open communication and creativity.

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