A Day in the Life of an Enshittificator
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posted Apr 8 @ 05:45 PM by Jason Kottke  ·  gift link
A Day in the Life of an Enshittificator
From the Norwegian Consumer Council, a funny video that warns against the dangers of enshittification. It’s part of their Breaking Free initiative:
Digital products and services are steadily becoming worse. Software<br>becomes increasingly difficult and frustrating to use, websites and apps<br>are littered with ads and spam content, and useful features are removed,<br>degraded, or made subscription-only. This is part of a process called<br>enshittification.
Enshittification happens in stages: First a company attracts users by<br>providing a valuable service, often seemingly for free or at an artificially<br>low price. The company then exploits those users to draw in business<br>customers, and finally abuses its business customers and claws back all<br>the value for itself and its shareholders.
Enshittification is the result of a dysfunctional market, where companies<br>have been able to get away with mistreating and exploiting consumers.<br>Consumers are trapped in digital services, potential competitors are<br>shut out, and policymakers and regulators are unable or reluctant to<br>clamp down on anticompetitive, illegal and otherwise abusive behavior.<br>In practice, a handful of tech companies have become so powerful that<br>they do not have reason to fear any consequences.
video
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Jason Kottke reposted 2026-04-08T22:13:55Z
@thekarlwlewis.bsky.socialBluesky
“Touching the brake pedal indicates acceptance of these new terms of service.”
“Touching the brake pedal indicates acceptance of these new terms of service.”
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Chris Frampton<br>2026-04-08T22:17:55Z
Enshittification is so interesting to me. First and foremost, in my long-term, hyper online brain, it's a well known phenomenon. And, it drives me nuts. But, whenever I bring it up IRL, I just get blank stares. I have friends designing new apps - cool ideas, too! - where they just assume from the start that they will sell their users' information. They don't even understand what I mean when I say that's shitty. I've got to find a way to say it nicely and to make it clear enshittification only leads to one of two things: no customers or scale and then no customers. Design with the customer in mind!
Enshittification is so interesting to me. First and foremost, in my long-term, hyper online brain, it's a well known phenomenon. And, it drives me nuts. But, whenever I bring it up IRL, I just get blank stares. I have friends designing new apps - cool ideas, too! - where they just assume from the start that they will sell their users' information. They don't even understand what I mean when I say that's shitty. I've got to find a way to say it nicely and to make it clear enshittification only leads to one of two things: no customers or scale and then no customers. Design with the customer in mind!
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Corban Johnson<br>2026-04-09T03:29:03Z
The enviable enshittification of AI tools is another huge reason to avoid depending on them.
The enviable enshittification of AI tools is another huge reason to avoid depending on them.
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Corban Johnson<br>2026-04-09T15:11:32Z
*inevitable, even
*inevitable, even
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Michael Miller<br>2026-04-09T20:03:14Z
Exactly, the token maxxing and nerfing the models of lower tier consumers is really suss.
Exactly, the token maxxing and nerfing the models of lower tier consumers is really suss.
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Zarko<br>2026-04-09T08:14:30Z
Excellent video. Some part of me is thinking that there are tech bros out there watching this and not getting the irony. As if this is validating their business strategy... :(
Excellent video. Some part of me is thinking that there are tech bros out there watching this and not getting the irony. As if this is validating their business strategy... :(
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Moira<br>2026-04-09T19:52:49Z
"Look at this cool how-to video!" 🫠
"Look at this cool how-to video!" 🫠
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