Enshittification: A Year In Review

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Post on Nov 26, 2024

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Enshittification: A Year in Review - How Your Favorite Services Went South

Let's be honest, 2024 sucked for a lot of us. And a big reason why? Enshittification. Remember that word? It's the slow, agonizing process where something once awesome gets gradually worse. It’s like watching your favorite band release a terrible album – except instead of music, it’s your favorite app, website, or online service. This isn't just about minor bugs; this is about a deliberate degradation of the user experience.

The Usual Suspects: Apps and Services That Got Worse

This year, we saw some major players really fumble the ball. Let’s dive into a few prime examples of enshittification in action.

Twitter (Now X): The King of Enshittification

Oh, boy, where do we even start? Elon Musk's reign of terror (or, depending on your perspective, "interesting experiments") at Twitter/X has been a masterclass in enshittification. Remember the good old days of relatively reliable feeds and a semi-functional search? Yeah, those are gone. We've seen buggy features, algorithm changes that feel deliberately designed to frustrate, and a general atmosphere of chaos. It’s been a wild ride, to say the least. It's like watching a car crash in slow motion.

The constant changes, the removal of features (RIP, TweetDeck), the influx of bots… It's enough to make you want to throw your phone across the room. Honestly, it's been a complete mess.

Streaming Services: The Price Hike Plague

Streaming services, once the beacon of affordable entertainment, are feeling the pinch. Price hikes are rampant. The value proposition has decreased, with more ads and fewer original shows of real quality. You're paying more for less. It's like they're saying, "Hey, thanks for being a loyal customer! Now, pay more for a worse experience!" Brutal, right?

This isn't just about price. It's about the quality of the content declining, coupled with annoying changes like password-sharing crackdowns. It's a perfect storm of enshittification.

Social Media in General: The Algorithm Abyss

We can't talk about enshittification without discussing the relentless march of algorithms. It feels like every social media platform is locked in a race to the bottom, prioritizing engagement metrics over genuine connection. The feeds are increasingly filled with low-quality content, irrelevant ads, and endless scroll-inducing garbage. And it's exhausting!

Algorithms seem designed to keep us glued to the screens for as long as possible, even if it means sacrificing meaningful experiences. It’s a blatant strategy to maximize ad revenue, no matter the cost to the user. This feels incredibly manipulative.

Fighting Back Against the Enshittification

So, what can we do? Giving up and switching to something else is fine, but there's some other things we can also try.

• Vote with your wallet: If a service is consistently letting you down, stop paying for it. Maybe they'll listen... maybe.
• Spread the word: Talk to your friends, let other people know when a service is tanking. Collective pressure can help.
• Support independent alternatives: There are plenty of smaller, independent services out there that might not be as polished but offer a better user experience and a more genuine approach.

It's a battle, but we're not giving up without a fight!

Conclusion: Hope Remains (Maybe)

2024 was a rough year for online services. But the battle against enshittification isn't over. By staying aware, speaking out, and supporting better alternatives, we can maybe, just maybe, turn the tide. And perhaps, next year's review will be a little less depressing. Here's hoping!