Ensh*ttification Expert: "The golden age of internet is over. This is their new plan"
Google Intentionally Degrades Search Quality
Google intentionally degrades its search quality to increase ad revenue, according to Cory Doctorow. He cites internal memos from the Google antitrust case revealing a conflict between executives who prioritized technical excellence and those who sought to boost revenue by making search results worse, forcing users to search multiple times and view more ads. This decision, driven by financial incentives, has led to a decline in the user experience and a loss of trust in Google's search results.
Switching Costs Lock Users Into Bad Services
Cory Doctorow explains that high switching costs, both practical and policy-driven, lock users into using inferior services. He uses the example of mobile phone plans, where the hassle of switching family plans outweighs the cost savings, and social media, where users are trapped by their social networks. These costs are exacerbated by policies that make it illegal to circumvent access controls, preventing users from modifying or improving the services they use, thus solidifying the power of dominant platforms.
Doctorow: DMCA Criminalizes Innovation
Cory Doctorow asserts that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) criminalizes innovation by making it illegal to reverse engineer devices or circumvent access controls, even for legitimate purposes like security research or improving user experience. He cites the example of Apple reverse engineering Microsoft Office to create a compatible suite, a move that would now be a felony under the DMCA, thus stifling competition and user empowerment. This legal framework protects corporate interests at the expense of user rights and technological progress.
Amazon's Predatory Pricing
Cory Doctorow argues that Amazon's predatory pricing and Prime program have created an economy-wide tax, forcing sellers to increase prices everywhere to compensate for Amazon's high fees. He explains that Amazon's 'most favored nation' deals prevent sellers from offering lower prices on their own websites, and that the company's advertising business is essentially a form of 'payola,' where the best products are not necessarily the ones that appear at the top of search results. This system extracts value from both sellers and consumers, enriching Amazon at their expense.
Doctorow: Algorithmic Wage Discrimination
Cory Doctorow describes how companies like Uber use algorithmic wage discrimination to exploit workers by offering lower pay to those who appear more desperate. He cites research showing that Uber drivers who accept more low-ball offers are subsequently offered lower wages, creating a cycle of exploitation. This practice, enabled by opaque algorithms and a lack of worker protections, extends beyond ride-sharing to other sectors like nursing, where apps use data to determine how much to pay workers based on their financial vulnerability, thus perpetuating economic inequality.
Policy Choices Enable 'Enshittification'
Cory Doctorow emphasizes that 'enshittification' is not an inevitable outcome of technology but a result of policy choices that prioritize corporate interests over user rights and competition. He points to the repeal of consumer privacy laws, the failure to update regulations for the digital age, and the lack of enforcement of antitrust laws as examples of policies that enable companies to exploit users and degrade services. He concludes that reversing this trend requires proactive policy interventions to curb corporate power and restore a more equitable digital landscape.
